Dean the Goblin King
by thewindinthemeadow
Summary: Castiel must enter the Labyrinth to save his baby stepbrother, Jack, from Dean Winchester. Rating changed to T for thematic content in later chapters.
1. I Wish

_I Wish_

Castiel stared out over the water, his faithful dog Merlin by his side. He took the book out of his pocket again and read from it.

"Give me the child- Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City- to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me."

Merlin barked loudly as an owl soared away. Castiel didn't even see it.

Bells chimed from a nearby church. Castiel heard them and panicked. "Oh, no. Merlin, it's seven o'clock. Come on, we've got to get home. Naomi will be so mad at me."

They raced home together. Naomi was standing on the porch, waiting impatiently for Castiel. He was late.

"I'm sorry," said Castiel, pleadingly. "I didn't mean to let the time slip by like that. It's not fair- you always make me babysit on the weekends."

Naomi was having none of it.

"Oh, really? Well, don't stand there in the rain. Come on," she said irritably.

"Come on, Merlin," said Castiel.

"Not in the house, Castiel. We've talked about this before. Put him in the garage."

"But it's pouring! Please let him in the house, just this once. I promise he'll be good."

"No. In the garage, now!"

"Okay, Mom, whatever," said Castiel grumpily. "Go on, Merlin, into the garage." He waved his hand, and Merlin whined but went obediently. Castiel walked into the house, shoulders slumped. Naomi followed him in and kept pestering him.

"Castiel, you're an _hour_ late."

"I said I'm sorry," said Castiel.

"Please, let me finish," said Naomi, raising her voice. "Your father and I go out very rarely."

"You go out _every_ weekend," said Cas.

"And I ask you to babysit only if it won't interfere with your plans," said Naomi firmly.

"You wouldn't know if I had plans," said Cas in a low voice. "You don't even ask me anymore. Please leave me alone."

"I _assume_ you would tell me if you had a date with a girl," said Naomi. "I'd like it if you had a date. You _should_ have dates, at your age."

Joshua came in from the kitchen, holding baby Jack.

"Ah, Castiel. You're home. We were worried about you."

"I can take care of myself," mumbled Cas. He ran up to his room, tears pricking his eyelids. "I just can't do anything right, can I?" he threw back at them, and slammed the door behind him.

"He treats me like I'm the wicked stepmother in a fairy story no matter what I say or do," complained Naomi.

"I'll talk to him," offered Joshua. He smiled reassuringly at her and climbed the stairs after Castiel.

Naomi stalked away on high heeled shoes and picked up her purse, ready to leave.

Castiel, meanwhile, was playing his favorite music box, trying to calm himself down. He was wearing a fake plastic crown and playing with some lipstick he stole from Naomi. Giving up on figuring out how girls did this stuff, he smeared some on the mirror just to annoy her and went back to his book. Maybe at least that would be a fun distraction.

"Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle," he read slowly, trying to make sense of the story, imagining it in his head. The girl in this story seemed to have a much better life than him. She got to have a cool adventure and save her baby brother, without actually having to deal with his whining for _hours_. Jack was a cutie, but he could really get on Castiel's nerves when he just wouldn't quit. Castiel almost wished he could escape into this story for real.

"Beyond the Goblin City- to take back the child that you have stolen-"

Joshua was saying something.

"Castiel? Can I talk to you, please?"

"Nothing to talk about," said Cas, whipping the plastic crown off his head. "You'd better hurry," he said, staring at the lipstick on his mirror. "You're going to be late."

"Listen, we fed Toby and put him to bed. We do have to leave now, but we'll be back around midnight," said Joshua.

"You really wanted to talk to me, didn't you," muttered Cas. "Practically broke down the door."

He flopped on the bed, noticing that one of his teddy bears was missing.

"Lancelot! If Jack took him from _my room_ again…" Cas couldn't think of anything to finish his sentence with. He wouldn't really hurt Jack. He was just annoyed, for the hundredth time that day.

He stomped into Jack's room, and found Lancelot on the floor.

"Stop taking my stuff," he screamed at Jack. "I hate that! I hate it! I hate you!"

Immediately he knew he didn't mean it, but he and Jack were already upset, and a full-on screaming contest ensued. Castiel sat on the floor by Jack's crib, hugging Lancelot to his chest.

"Someone save me!" he yelled, glaring in Jack's direction. "Just take me away!"

Thunder rumbled outside the window. Jack howled.

"What do you want?" Cas begged, looking at the ceiling. "OK, OK, I'll tell you a story." He set Lancelot on the bed and stood looking out the window.

"Once upon a time there was a boy whose stupid stepmother always made him stay home and watch the baby. The baby was annoying and kept stealing all my stuff! The poor young boy was exhausted and- and- just done with the whole thing." Cas watched the clouds flash with lightening.

"What no one knew," Castiel announced, "Was that the king of the goblins had given the boy certain powers." He walked over to the mirror and studied his reflection, wishing that his story was real. "One night, when the baby just wouldn't shut up, he called on the goblins for help."

What Castiel did not know was that a collection of very strange beings really _was_ listening to his conversation.

"Listen," said one of the odd little men, commonly known as goblins.

"If you say the right words, the goblins told him," Castiel continued, "we will take the baby away to the Goblin City. You will be free."

"Ahh," said one of the goblins. They stared at Castiel, waiting impatiently for him to continue.

"But the boy knew that the Goblin King would keep his little brother forever, and turn him into a goblin," Cas said. He walked back to Jack's crib and ran his hand along the railing. "So he stayed silent."

Castiel walked over to the window again, staring into the darkness and listening to the thunder roar. "But one night he couldn't take it any longer. He was tired from listening to his stepmother yell, and hurt that-" He lowered his head and scuffed his shoes on the floor dejectedly. "That his dad didn't try harder to talk to him…"

Shoulders slumped, Cas walked back to Jack's crib. Jack howled as loudly as he could and held up his arms. "Oh, all right," Cas said. He picked up Jack. "Knock it off, please."

Jack kept howling, irritating Castiel's ears and generally making him more and more frustrated. "Stop it, stop it," Cas pleaded. "I'll say the words," he added threateningly.

He didn't really take it seriously, but he couldn't say those words, not really. "No, I mustn't. I mustn't say…"

The goblins were all staring avidly at him. Several gasped.

"I wish," Castiel began hesitantly. "I wish-"

"Listen," one goblin ordered the others.

"He's going to say it!" another added.

"Say what?" a rather stupid goblin asked.

"Shut up!" the first goblin told him.

"Sorry," he said.

"You _shut up,_ " a fourth goblin said.

"Listen," the first goblin repeated, watching Castiel intently. "He's going to say the words."

"I can bear it no longer," Cas called, standing in the middle of the room. "Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!" He gasped and covered his mouth. Jack kept howling. Cas breathed a sigh of relief. It hadn't worked. He hadn't expected it to, but still… He shuddered at the thought of explaining to his father that the goblins had kidnapped Jack.

The goblins all groaned in disappointment.

"That's not it," one complained.

"Where'd he learn that rubbish?" another asked. "It doesn't even start with 'I wish!'"

"Ugh," a third groaned.

"Oh, Jack, stop it!" Castiel complained, his moment of relief over. "Just quit crying. I wish I knew what to say to make the goblins take you away."

"'I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now,'" an exasperated goblin recommended. "That's not hard, is it? Huh?!"

"I wish… I just wish…" Cas said, in a slightly choked up voice.

"Did he say it?" the slow goblin from before asked.

Several goblins turned toward him and ordered, "Shut up!"

Jack kept crying. Castiel dropped him back in the crib and ran to the door. He turned back in the doorway. "I wish the goblins would come and take you away," he whispered. He flipped the light switch, filling the room with shadows. "Right now," he added as he turned away.


	2. Meet the Winchesters

_A/N Hi everyone! I'm writing this story with my sister, so the tone will be a bit different and possibly more variable. We won't stick to the Labyrinth plotline all the time, but most of it will be a lot like the movie._

 _Meet the Winchesters_

There was a loud roll of thunder, and when it finished, Jack had stopped crying. Castiel went a few more steps away from the door, but something felt wrong. Jack was never this quiet, and he wouldn't just fall asleep so quickly. Cas walked slowly back to the doorway.

"Jack?" he called. "Jack?" His voice trembled. "Are you alright? Jack?"

Castiel reached for the light switch and turned it with shaking hands. Nothing happened. He desperately flipped it back and forth to no avail. _Power outages happen all the time,_ he thought, trying to steady his breathing. _This doesn't mean anything. There's a thunderstorm. This is normal._

"Jack?" Cas called again.

The room remained eerily silent except for the dull, distant rumble of the storm. Cas futilely flipped the light switch one more time before reluctantly crossing the dark room to Jack's crib.

A rasping, squeaking noise reminiscent of giggling came from under the blankets, making Castiel jump backwards with a low cry of alarm. After a moment he forced himself to lean over the crib. He reached down with one hand and jerked back the blankets. Jack was gone. Castiel's lip trembled.

Goblins darted about behind Castiel's back making noise, but staying out of sight. Castiel already felt jumpy with Jack apparently gone, and when an owl started to beat at his window, he felt a little sick. Finally, the window blew open, and Castiel looked at the shadow on the floor, afraid to look up. _This must be the king of the goblins_ , he thought _. I thought I would be excited to meet him, but now I'm just scared and afraid for Jack._

He looked up to see a scary man in a dark purple outfit and a thin black cloak that did nothing to hide his impressively muscular physique. He had dark blue eyes, one slightly lighter than the other, and short, spiky dark hair. Curtains blew around him. Castiel felt like his tongue was frozen.

"Do you know who I am?" asked Dean.

"You're him- aren't you?" squeaked Cas, terrified. "You're the Goblin King. Please, can I have my brother back? I didn't mean it- at least I might have but now I'm sorry."

"What's said is said," said Dean, crossing his arms.

"But I didn't mean it," said Castiel, softly. "Please? It's not Jack's fault."

"Oh, you didn't," said Dean, not impressed.

"Where is he?" asked Castiel, desperately.

"You know where he is," said Dean. "You put him there. Now, Cas, I think it's time we talked about something else. You've wanted to get rid of him forever, and now you want to talk about him? Seriously, man? Here, look at this."

Dean twirled his fingers, and suddenly he was holding a little crystal ball.

"What is it?" Cas asked, unable to help feeling curious.

"It's just a crystal," Dean said. "But if you turn it like this-" he demonstrated- "And look into it, it'll show you your dreams."

Castiel stared longingly at the crystal ball.

"Take it," Dean offered. "But if you do, I keep the baby- forever." Dean watched the changing expressions on Cas' face. "Do you want it?"

Castiel cast the crystal one last glance before dropping his eyes to the floor.

"Then forget the baby already," Dean said.

"I can't," Cas said softly. "It isn't that-" He lost the thread of what he was trying to say and dropped his head again.

"Just say what you're gonna say," Dean said, sounding slightly irritated.

"Please, I just want my brother back," Cas whispered, still looking at the floor.

Dean resisted the urge to hug Castiel and tell him he was sorry and of course he could have his brother back. Instead he glared convincingly at Castiel, which was pointless since he was still ogling the floor.

"He must be so scared," Castiel whimpered.

" _Castiel_ ," Dean scowled. He turned the crystal ball into a very scary purple snake with red and blue polka-dots and threw it at Castiel's neck. "Don't defy me."

Castiel shrieked and dropped it on the floor, where a little goblin popped out of a handkerchief and cackled. The other goblins laughed, and Castiel looked up dolefully at Dean, tears in his eyes.

Dean laughed, partly cruelly but partly sympathetically. "Let's face it. You're no match for me, Castiel."

"But I have to save Jack," said Castiel stubbornly. Dean was afraid he might just start crying then and there, so he turned around and pointed out the window.

"He's there. In my castle."

Castiel walked slowly toward the window, which had become a doorway to a strange, misty orange and brown desert landscape where he could make out what looked like an elaborate, winding maze. It seemed to go on for miles.

"Do you still want to look for him?" asked Dean.

Castiel ignored this and pointed to the small dot of a building at the highest point of the maze.

"Is that the castle beyond the goblin city?" he asked.

Dean went all drama king.

"Turn back, Castiel," he announced grandly. "Turn back before it's too late."

"I can't," said Castiel, firmly.

"What a pity," said Dean.

"It doesn't look too awful," said Castiel. "I like mazes."

"It's a long way," said Dean. "And I mean a really long way. You'll wish you hadn't started this, kid. You don't have forever." He pointed to an ornate burnished clock that appeared in a gnarly old tree. "You'll have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us, forever," he finished, shaking his head as he disappeared in a cloud of mist. "Too bad."

Castiel looked around. He sighed.

"The Labyrinth, huh? I guess it doesn't look that hard- sort of. Okay. One step at a time. Left… right…" He started walking down the hill towards the entry point.

Soon he reached a pool dug into the earth. A young man with curly hair was pouring from a silver flask into some kind of spray bottle.

Castiel stood and watched for a bit, not sure how to approach the situation.

"Um- excuse me?" he asked timidly.

Sam Winchester jumped and doused Castiel with holy water.

"Sorry, man," he said, when nothing exciting happened. "Oh- it's _you_."

"Um, I have to get through this Labyrinth thing…" said Castiel, not sure how he was supposed to react to being doused with water. Was this some kind of test? Unless the maze was electric or something, he didn't see why this was happening to him, but he had to try his best or he'd never be able to save Jackie from these monsters.

Sam pointedly ignored him and aimed the spray bottle at a beautiful fairy girl who was dancing in the air.

Castiel watched her for a moment and then Sam shot her down with the holy water. She gasped as he kicked dirt over her.

"Nasty little beasts," said Sam. "Look, why are you still here? Start the stupid labyrinth already, before I'm tempted to shoot you."

"Will you help me?" blurted Cas. "I don't even know how to get started with this Labyrinth thing." Sam just walked away, looking for more fairies to shoot. Castiel bent down to see what had happened to the fairy. She gazed up at him and blinked her pretty eyelashes. He gently offered her his finger. She bit him.

"Ow," Cas yelped. "It bit me," he complained.

"What did you expect of a fairy?" asked Sam. "Never mind, don't answer that. I bet you believe all those stupid stories you read. Why don't _you_ just go get lost and leave me alone, huh?"

He shot down a few more fairies.

"That's just sick," said Castiel. "Why do you have to shoot them?"

"Sick? No, I'm Sam. Everybody gets my name wrong all the time. Just go away, okay? I'm not going to help you."

"Hi, Sam," said Castiel dejectedly. "I'm Castiel."

"That's what I figured," said Sam.

"Do you know where the door to the Labyrinth is?" asked Castiel. He was getting really tired of Sam's company.

"Maybe," hedged Sam.

"Well, where is it?" asked Castiel.

"Ha. Sixty," said Sam, shooting down another fairy. "Look, just go away."

"I said, where's the door?" asked Castiel, ready to brave anything for Jack.

"I don't have to answer you," growled Sam.

"It's hopeless asking you anything, isn't it?" complained Castiel.

"Huh," said Sam. "Look, if you ask the right questions, maybe I'll have an answer for you, but sure don't promise to share it."

"How do I get into the Labyrinth?" asked Castiel.

"Ah, now that's a better question," admitted Sam. "You get into the Labyrinth there." He pointed to a pair of ivy-covered doors that groaned open and let Castiel into a long brick corridor that extended in both directions for what appeared to be forever.

"You're really gonna go in there?" asked Sam, a little astonished.

"Yes. I have to," said Cas. He walked in and looked carefully at each direction.

Sam sneaked up behind him. "Cozy, huh?"

Castiel jumped. Sam just laughed.

"So, are you going left- or right?" asked Sam.

"They look the same," said Castiel gravely.

"Well, you're not going to get very far," said Sam. "Why don't you just go home?"

"Which way would you go?" asked Castiel.

"Neither," laughed Sam.

"Well, that's helpful," said Cas. "You know what? Why don't you just leave? I can think better by myself."

"You know what your problem is? You take everything for granted," said Sam. "Take this labyrinth. Even if you make it to the center, you're never going to get out again."

"That's your opinion," said Castiel.

"Hah. Better my opinion than _your_ opinion," said Sam darkly.

"Thank-you for your help, Stan. Goodbye," said Castiel.

Sam growled in annoyance. "It's Sam. And don't say I didn't warn you. This maze is dangerous, and you're no Hunter." He left, still grumbling, and waved the doors shut behind him.


	3. In the Labyrinth

_In the Labyrinth_

Castiel rubbed his jaw nervously and glanced back and forth, finally selecting the path to the right. He walked along for a while, waiting for a side path or a gap in the wall.

"There aren't any corners, or turns, or anything," Cas complained after a while. "It doesn't look like I'm getting anywhere."

Castiel studied the walls, wondering if he could climb them. He brushed his hand along the uneven surface. It might be marginally climbable, but he hadn't done anything like it in years. He managed to get several feet up, but he couldn't reach the top. He fell twice and skinned his knee.

Defeated, Cas kept walking along the path that led to nowhere. He slumped against the wall, wondering if maybe Dean had won.

"Oh," he sighed, putting his head in his hands.

"'Allo," said a small voice behind him.

He turned and saw the most adorable little blue inchworm with a cream belly and tufty blue fur for hair. Castiel felt a little better already. How bad could a labyrinth be if a cute little worm like this one lived in it?

"Did you say hello?" he asked.

"No, I said 'Allo, but that's close enough," said the Worm.

"You're a worm, aren't you," said Castiel.

"Yeah, s'right," said the Worm.

"You don't happen to know how to get through the Labyrinth, do you?" asked Cas.

"Who, me? Nah, I'm just a worm."

Castiel smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you anyway."

"Come inside, and meet the Missis," said the Worm.

"Aw," said Castiel. "That's sweet of you, but I don't think I can. I have to solve this Labyrinth so I can save my brother."

"Oh."

"Yeah. But the problem is, there don't seem to be any turns or openings or anything, and I can't climb the wall. I tried, and, um, kind of skinned my knee." He paused. "It just goes on and on."

"Well, you ain't looking right," said the Worm. "It's full of openings. It's just, you ain't seein' 'em."

"Well, where are they?" asked Castiel.

"There's one just across there. It's right in front of ya."

Castiel looked, but he wasn't seeing it.

He looked at the ground. "I'm sorry. I've failed. I can't see anything there."

"Come inside, then, and have a nice cup of tea," insisted the Worm. Castiel sighed and hung his head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I don't think I'll fit in your house. I'm not good for much, am I?"

"There is an opening, dear," said the Worm gently. "Just try walking through it."

"I don't think I can," Castiel said. "I'm sorry."

"You can," said the Worm. "You don't have to feel like it's there, just go check it out. Go on, touch the wall."

Castiel got up and reached out towards the wall tentatively. It was a lot further away then he had thought. Suddenly, the wall as still ahead right in front of him, but he could see that the wall just beside it was now next to him. The wall only appeared to be connected all the way through.

He turned to thank the worm.

"Thank you so much," he said sincerely. "I was about to give up. This is a big help."

He turned to go to the left, but the worm stopped him.

"Hey, hang on," she said. "Don't go that way?"

"What?"

"Don't go that way. Never go that way," said the Worm.

"Oh. Okay," said Castiel. He turned and walked the other way, glad that somebody was willing to help him out a little. He had been feeling very lost.

Behind him, out of earshot, the worm nodded to herself. "If he'd have kept on going down that way, he would've gone straight to that castle."

Castiel continued and came up to a fork with a lot of hands pointing in various directions. He could hear a baby crying loudly somewhere nearby.

"Jack," he whispered. "I'm coming, Jack." Then he started trying random turns.

Meanwhile, Dean was watching Jack. The baby was sitting in a circle of baby goblins, scared and fussy. He kept crying and looking at Dean. Dean kind of felt sorry for him, but what was he supposed to do? Spend all his time talking Jack out of fussy fits? I mean, how not macho-tough-Goblin King can you get?

A couple of goblins were fighting over a string of sausages. Another goblin marched around beating the ground with a stick in obvious mockery of Dean's scepter-flicking habit. He really had to do something. His goblins were going stir-crazy. They were way overexcited about the new baby. He got up and strutted around in time to some background music. The goblins watched expectantly; they'd watched him do this before.

He scooped up a random goblin and held him up, talking to him in a sing-song voice. "You remind me of the babe," he cooed.

"What babe," squawked the goblin indignantly, but it was all in fun.

"The babe with the power," said Dean.

"What power?" asked another goblin.

"Power of voodoo," said Dean.

"Who do?" asked another goblin.

"You do," said Dean.

"Do what?"

"Remind me of the babe," sang Dean. The goblins laughed and clapped. This was getting good.

"Quiet!" he shouted, waving his scepter. Mostly hush came instantly.

"A goblin babe," said Dean, hiding a silly grin.

He laughed. The goblins were still nervous and stayed pretty quiet. "Well?" said Dean, checking to see if they were paying attention. As soon as a hint of a smile appeared on his face, they saw it and rejoiced. The Goblin King was in a good mood again. Time to relax and have some fun.

Dean started to sing in earnest.

"I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry… What could I do? My baby's love had gone, and left my baby blue-oo! Nobody knew-"

The goblins joined in for the chorus.

" _What kind of magic spell to use?_ "

"Slime and snails, or puppy dogs' tails?" sang one goblin. "Thunder, or lightening?" added another.

Dean added in, "Then baby said…"

Jack said nothing, but the goblins all chimed in with his part. " _Dance magic dance_!"

Dean jumped in and made it a round. "Dance magic dance, dance magic dance."

" _Put that baby spell on me!_ " chanted the goblins. Dean kicked one into the air with his boot, and the goblins cheered.

 _"_ _Jump magic jump!_ " they sang, and Dean chimed in with his part while raising them all into the air with his arms. " _Put that magic jump on me."_

"Slap that baby, make him free," said one goblin, a little too excited.

Castiel, meanwhile, heard the music faintly. He was determined to help Jack escape from that wild hellhole, and he searched his pockets hoping for something to help him. All he had was that tube of lipstick he'd "borrowed" from Naomi. Oh, well, it would do. He used it to draw arrows pointing to where he was going.

Unbeknownst to him, even as he was walking away, some of Dean's monkeys were chattering and rearranging the stone tiles he'd marked. That wasn't going to get him through the Labyrinth.

Dean was holding Jack and watching the clock. "In nine hours and twenty-three minutes, you'll be mine," he said happily. The goblins laughed and broke out the alcoholic beverages. Dean broke out another verse to go along.

"I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try… What could I do? My baby's fun had gone, and left my baby blue! Nobody knew-"

" _What kind of magic spell to use?"_

"Slime and snails?"

"Puppy dogs' tails."

"Thunder or lightening?"

Dean waved dramatically and pointed at Jack. "Then baby said-"

They went into the second chorus just as enthusiastically. Jack giggled. Soon a goblin was dancing with Jack. Now there was an idea. He carefully picked up Jack and tossed him into the air slightly to see how he would react. Jack loved it, so Dean tossed him higher, and then tossed him sideways to a random goblin. Jack looked a little disconcerted, so Dean took him from the goblin and just danced with him for a bit. Soon he was totally and irrevocably in love with the baby.


	4. A Piece of Cake

_A Piece of Cake_

Castiel had noticed his little problem. The tiles he marked had been totally moved around.

"Oh no," he said. "This labyrinth is- a little crazy! What do I do?" He sighed. "Is there even a way through this stupid maze?! It's not fair."

"That's right! It's not fair," a voice announced from behind him. The words were followed by a lot of laughing.

Castiel turned around. He was greeted by a rather odd sight. Two little red men, one upside down and one right side up, were guarding one door. Next to it was another door, guarded by two little blue men in corresponding positions.

"But that's only half of it," the upside down red man continued.

Castiel realized something else. "This was a dead end a minute ago," he said.

"No, that's the dead end, behind you," the blue upside down man said, and all four of them laughed.

Cas looked behind him. They were right. "It keeps changing. How can I possibly get to the castle?"

"The only way out of here is to try one of these doors," upside down red said.

"One of them leads to the castle at the center of the labyrinth," upside down blue said. "And the other one leads to-"

Right side up blue cut him off for a drumroll.

"Certain death," upside down blue finished.

"Ooooo," all four men said in unison. Cas wondered if they thought they sounded scary.

When they'd finished Castiel asked, "So which door is which?"

"Eh, we can't tell you," upside down red said.

"Why not?" Cas asked.

"We don't know," upside down red said.

"But they do," upside down blue said, motioning upward to the right side up men.

"Okay," Castiel said. "I guess I'll ask them."

"Uh, no, you can't ask us. You can only ask one of us," right side up red said.

"Mm-hm," right side up blue said. "It's in the rules. And I should warn you that one of us always tells the truth, and one of us always lies. That's a rule too. He always lies."

"I do not. I tell the truth," right side up red retorted.

"Oh, what a lie," right side up blue declared dramatically.

All four men laughed as right side up red said, "He's the liar!"

Castiel noticed some inconsistencies in their stories, but he decided to just play along. "Alright," he said. He addressed right side up red, "Answer yes or no, would he tell me that this door leads to the castle?"

"Uh…" Right side up red appeared to be thinking very hard. He went to confer with upside down red. After a lot of muttering he told Castiel, "Yes?"

"Then the other door must lead to the castle," Cas said. "And this door'll kill me."

All the men gasped.

"How do you know?" right side up red asked. "He could be telling the truth."

"But then you would be lying," Castiel explained. "If you told me that he said yes, then I know the answer is no."

"But I could be telling the truth," right side up red objected indignantly.

"But if you told the truth then he'd be lying," Castiel said. "You would say yes, but the answer would still be no."

"Wait a minute," right side up red said. He turned to right side up blue. "Is that right?" he asked.

Right side up blue looked just as confused. "I don't know," he said. "I've never understood it." For a reason beyond Castiel's understanding, all of them started laughing again.

"It's right," Cas said. "I've got this." He went through the door behind the blue men. "The labyrinth's not so hard. It's a piece of cake!"

The stone floor Castiel was standing on caved in and he fell into a deep pit. Hands lined the sides of the pit, grabbing at him and slowing his fall. He shrieked and tried to pull away from them, but they were too strong. They pulled him to a standstill. He looked longingly up at the circle of light at the top of the pit, now quite far away.

"Help!" Castiel yelled. "Stop it! Help!"

"What do you mean, "help"? We are helping," a voice came from somewhere behind the hands. "We're helping hands."

"You're hurting," Castiel said. It was hard to think with a bunch of creepy hands tugging on him.

"Would you like us to let go? Ha-ha-ha-ha."

Suddenly Cas was falling again.

"No!" he yelped. The hands caught him again.

"Well then, come on, which way?"

"Which way?" Castiel asked. "What do you mean?"

"Up or down?"

Castiel looked up and down uncertainly. He hadn't been thinking of down as an option. His overactive imagination had always made him afraid of the dark, and the only light was coming from above. That made up the more attractive option. Castiel knew that sometimes the less attractive option was better. He couldn't expect the way to the Goblin City to be pleasant.

"Come on, come on. We haven't got all day."

Castiel wanted to get away from these weird hands. He thought about asking them for advice, but considering the fact that they were 'helping' they seemed very unfriendly.

"Well, it's a big decision for him. Which way do you want to go? Hmm?"

Castiel was locked in indecision. Up or down? Light or dark? Less scary, or more likely to work? He could easily imagine Dean keeping Jack underground.

"Yes, which way?"

"Well, I guess- down," Cas decided.

"He chose down? He chose down. Ha!"

The hands released Castiel, and he slipped deeper into the pit. They seemed to think it was funny that he'd chosen down.

"Was that wrong?" he asked desperately.

"Too late now. Ha-ha-ha!"

They dropped Castiel, and he fell several feet onto stone. Laughter came from above, until it was cut off by a trapdoor closing over Castiel's head. The place where he'd landed was plunged into complete blackness.

Back in the castle, Dean and several goblins were crowded around a crystal ball, watching Castiel. It was kind of pathetic, seeing how badly Castiel handled the labyrinth they had spent their entire lives in.

"He fell in the Oubliette," laughed Dean. The goblins roared.

"Shut up!" commanded Dean. He was worried about Castiel. It was one thing to laugh at Cas himself, for show, and another thing to let all the goblins laugh at him like it was funny being trapped in an Oubliette. Then he realized that he didn't want to the goblins to guess how he really felt about the boy. "He shouldn't have made it that far," said Dean. "Why didn't he give up already?"

"He'll never give up," said one of the goblins, figuring this was all a joke and Dean wouldn't deck him too hard for being obnoxious.

"Won't he?" asked Dean. "That curly-headed mop is about to lead him back to the beginning of the Labyrinth. Castiel will give up for sure when he realizes he's got to go all the way through again. He'll never make it here." He hoped it was true. He really wanted Jack to stay with him, and he didn't want to see Castiel get hurt by trying to keep going. The Labyrinth did have some dangerous spots.

He grinned, and all the goblins laughed. Dean wanted to sigh. They were so predictable. It was kind of amusing to have all that obnoxious personality under his thumb, though. They were pretty good subjects, really.

"Well, laugh," said Dean. The goblins jumped and laughed even harder. Yeesh, they were as pathetic as Castiel. Well, if he wanted stubborn, that's what Sam was for. The annoying brat never did what Dean said. Maybe it was time to have a little chat with him. But first, he'd watch Sam take Castiel back to the start of the Labyrinth. That ought to be amusing.

Hearing the goblins all laughing on command made Dean laugh for real. He tossed the crystal up into the air, and it turned into a bubble and popped.

Castiel looked around frantically. There was no light and no way to know his surroundings. A noise behind him made him turn around desperately. He couldn't see, so he kept his mouth shut and waited to see what was happening.

"I found you," said a voice. It seemed like of familiar, but he couldn't place it. There was the sound of a match being lit, and then a candle. Sam Winchester turned around and looked at Castiel.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Sam.

"I could ask you the same thing," said Castiel. "Where are we?"

"We're in an Oubliette," said Sam.

"Why does it have to be so dark down here?" asked Castiel.

"Because an Oubliette is a place where you put someone to _forget about them,_ " said Sam.


	5. Upping the Stakes

_Upping the Stakes_

Castiel shuddered. "How do we get out of here?"

"Well, I'm sure you've noticed that there are no doors. Or windows. The only exit is the hole you entered through."

Castiel looked up. "I'm sorry. I can't get us up there."

"Didn't think you would," said Sam.

"Then why did you come? Now you're stuck here, too," said Castiel.

"I wanted to be here," said Sam firmly. "Don't worry. I know another way to get us out of here."

"You better not have a bomb," said Castiel. "If you detonate one of those in here, we'll both die."

"Nope. Just a shortcut, but it'll take us right out of the whole labyrinth," said Sam, acting like he expected Castiel to be impressed.

"I'll stay here," said Castiel. "I still want to find Jack and bring him home. But you can go. I don't want to keep you here; you have your own life to live."

Sam snorted. "That's a nice idea, but no, I need to get you out of here. There are worse things than darkness in the depths of the Labyrinth."

Castiel swallowed hard, but crossed his arms stubbornly. "Forget it. I didn't come here to give up. I will find a way to save Jack. You can come with me if you want, or go somewhere else. I don't care, but I have to find Jack."

Sam scowled. "Be as stubborn as you like. You'll never make it to the center alone."

Castiel looked into Sam's eyes. Sam looked away.

"Why are you so concerned about me, Sam Winchester?" asked Castiel.

"I just am, okay? You seem like a nice kid, and this is no place for you. Take my word for it and get out of here," said Sam.

"You said you were a Hunter," said Castiel. "Hunters like deals. Say I make a deal with you?"

"No way," said Sam. "Never again. I like my soul, thank you very much."

"Glad to hear it," said Castiel. "No, no souls. You take me to the center of the labyrinth, and I'll give you this silver knife."

Sam looked at the knife. Castiel could tell he wanted it, but Sam shook his head.

"I can't. Dean would kill me."

"Dean? You've been working for the Goblin King. Well, that explains a lot, doesn't it?" said Castiel. "No wonder you want to take me back to the start."

Sam turned away. "Well, now you know," he muttered. "Do whatever you're going to do."

"Get me out of the Oubliette first," said Castiel. "Then, if you can't take me any further, I'll understand."

"And the knife?" asked Sam, turning and eyeing it.

"Take it," said Castiel. He handed the knife to Sam. "Just take me as far as you can."

Sam hesitated, then took the knife.

"Good," said Castiel. "Now get us out of here."

Sam rolled a pile of canvas over, revealing a wooden door. He placed it in a door-shaped indentation in the wall and turned a key in the left side of the door where a handle would be. The door opened and a bunch of junk fell out.

"Broom closet. Can't be right every time." He kicked some of the junk out of the way and shut the door. Then he unlocked it from the other side. The door opened on a rock-walled tunnel.

"This is it," said Sam. "Come on."

Castiel followed him through the door.

On the other side was a tunnel lined with giant stone faces. Cas jumped when they started talking.

"Don't go on," one said.

"Go back while you still can," another added.

"Um, Sam?" Castiel asked. "Should they be talking?"

"This is not the way!" a third said.

"Ignore them," Sam told Castiel. "They're just false alarms."

"Take heed, and go no farther," one announced.

Castiel struggled to ignore them, but it was kind of freaking him out.

"Beware," a head Cas hadn't noticed said from right next to his head. He jumped back, tripped over his own feet and fell.

"Beware," the head repeated.

"I heard you the first time," Castiel grumbled. He stood and continued down the path after Sam.

"Soon it will be too late," one said.

"Don't worry about them. There are a lot of false alarms in the labyrinth, especially when you're headed the right way," Sam said.

"Oh no, you're not," one said.

"Oh, shut up," Sam told it.

"Sorry, just doing my job," it said.

"You don't have to do it to us," Sam said. He glanced over at Castiel, who was staring at the walls like they were going to attack him.

"Beware for the-" the next head started to announce grandly.

"Shut it," Sam interrupted.

"Oh, please," the head said. "I haven't said it for such a long time."

"Fine, just don't expect a big reaction," Sam said.

"No, no, no, of course not," the head said. He cleared his throat. "For the path you will take will lead to certain destruction. Thank you very much."

A crystal ball rolled past Castiel's foot.

"Uh-oh," he said, but Sam wasn't paying attention, still too busy fighting with the stone heads to watch where he was going. Sam saw the ball when it rolled right in front of him.

"Oh," said Sam. He looked up and saw what appeared to be a homeless ostrich huddled up in a lump begging. The crystal bounced and dropped into its pan. The ostrich was dressed up in a ragged hat and cloak that covered all but its bill. It looked up and saw them.

"Ah," said the ostrich. "What've we here?"

Castiel and Sam both tried to hide behind each other. It didn't work.

Sam squirmed. "Um, nothing," he said, backing up to the wall.

"Nothing?" said the ostrich, standing up. "Nothing? Nothing?" His voice transformed into Dean's.

Dean took off his disguise and waved it in Sam's face. "Nothing, tra-la-la?"

Sam winced. "Dean, I'm sorry, man, okay? I had this. Give me some credit."

"Hello, Stanley," said Dean.

"Sean," Castiel tried to correct him.

"Sam! It's Sam, okay. Please don't do this, Dean."

"What do you call me, again?" Dean reminded him.

"Your Majesty. I'm sorry," said Sam.

"You should be," said Dean. "It seems to me that you've been _helping_ Castiel."

"Helping? Um, what exactly do you mean?" Sam hesitated.

"Helping, as in, you've been taking him back towards the castle," said Dean. "I know you're not stupid, so how about you just admit it."

"No, no. Dean, you've got it all wrong. I was leading Castiel back to the beginning," said Sam.

"You were?" asked Castiel. He looked reproachfully at Sam. "How could you do that, Sam?"

"I told him I was going to help him. What's so wrong with that? I had this, Dean. Now you've blown it."

" _I_ blew it? _I_ blew it! Sam, I've had enough. Hand over the boy and leave, now."

Sam looked at Castiel, who just looked back at him. Then he scurried away.

"Sam! Hold up a minute," said Dean. "Where'd you get the knife, man? Have you been stealing or something?"

"No. I made a deal with Castiel to help him with the Labyrinth," said Sam, disgusted. "Just let me go."

"Fine," said Dean. "But just so you know, if you ever betray me again, I'm going to suspend you headfirst in the Bog of Eternal Stench. Just think about that. Go."

"No, you wouldn't," said Sam. "It's not fair, Dean. What have I ever done except what you told me? Dean, we're brothers. Don't threaten me like that."

"Oh, I'll do it," said Dean. "So watch your mouth." He turned to Castiel. Sam watched hopelessly.

"So, how are you enjoying this whole- Labyrinth- thing, huh?" Dean asked Cas.

Castiel bit his lip.

"It's piece of cake," he told Dean resolutely.

"A piece of cake, hmm?" Dean said. "Then let's up the stakes."

He motioned to a gold clock on the wall that hadn't been there a moment before. The hands spun from four to eight in just a few seconds. Cas had lost four hours to look for Jack.

"That's nearly half my time!" Castiel complained. "It's not fair."

"You keep saying that," Dean said. "What are you comparing this to?"

Dean walked past Castiel and glanced over the walls, smirking slightly. "If the labyrinth's a piece of cake, try dealing with this little slice."

One of his crystals appeared in his hand, and he threw it down the tunnel. An ominous, rumbling clatter started up from where it hit. Castiel saw flashing, swirling bits of metal moving towards him. He looked to Dean for an explanation, but he had already vanished.

"The cleaners?!" Sam asked. "Is he serious?"

"What is it?" Cas asked, taking a few steps backwards.

"Run," Sam ordered, grabbing Castiel's arm and pulling him up the tunnel.


	6. How Important is Lipstick to You, Dean?

_"_ _How Important is Lipstick to You, Dean?"_

Castiel tripped on a loose stone and fell. Sam ran back for him and helped him up.

"Come on!" Sam griped.

Cas wasn't much of a runner, and the cleaners were steadily gaining on him and Sam.

"Faster," Sam urged.

Castiel couldn't run any faster, and he didn't have enough breath to talk. Sam and Cas ran into a set of locked gates over the tunnel.

"I could pick the lock," Sam said. "But there's no time."

Castiel found an unlocked door in the wall, but it was rusted shut. He couldn't get it open. He and Sam both threw themselves at the door, and it gave. They tumbled forward, out of the way of the cleaners. The cleaners barreled past them and ran right through the gate.

"The cleaners," Sam said into the silence. "And the bog of eternal stench." He picked himself up from the floor. "Well, you definitely got Dean's attention."

Castiel and Sam looked around and saw a ladder.

"Well, after you," said Sam, motioning to it.

Castiel shivered. "I don't like heights."

"Are you serious?" Sam shook his head. "Well, I guess I don't like them much either, but I think you can do this."

"How do you know?" Castiel shot back. "You don't know much about me."

"I know you'd do anything for your brother. I can see it in your eyes."

"Oh, yeah? And what about you? Would you climb this for Dean?" asked Cas.

Sam winced. "Um, uh, well, me and Dean, erm, uh, haven't always- agreed? On everything? I don't know. Just climb it already."

"How do I know you're even leading me right?" demanded Castiel. Then he realized that might have sounded a little harsh. "All I mean is, it kind of sounds like you told Dean you were taking me back to the start of the maze. You seem kinda scared of him. Why would I believe you're really taking me where I want to go?"

"I'm a Hunter, yeah? A deal's a deal," said Sam. "Anyway, we've got to climb if we want to go up, get the picture? No matter where we're going, let's get out of these tunnels first."

"Fair enough," said Castiel. He shut his eyes and started to climb. Sam was climbing behind him. He heard a snap, and one of the wooden rungs fell clunking to the floor. Castiel opened his eyes and looked down. He froze. They were about forty feet high in the air. Castiel gripped the ladder tightly and tried to remember how to breathe.

"Doing okay?" asked Sam.

"Yes," said Castiel. Then he thought about it. "No."

"Don't look at me," Sam instructed. "If you look at me, you're looking down. Just look at the ladder."

Castiel obeyed Sam and felt a little better.

"Sam?"

"I'm still here. I'm fine, actually. That rung fell off just after I stepped off of it."

"Okay," said Castiel. He started to climb again slowly, clinging to the ladder whenever he wasn't moving. They made it to the top. Castiel couldn't tell what to do. He was in some kind of enclosed space, but there was no light except from below.

"Sam, help! I'm stuck. This is a dead end."

"What? It shouldn't be," said Sam. "This ladder hasn't gone anywhere. I've never seen Dean put this much effort into something that doesn't go somewhere. Push on the walls. Maybe there's an opening you're not seeing."

Castiel wanted to give up, but he gritted his teeth and poked around with one hand. When he touched the ceiling, it moved and made a loud sliding sound.

"Aahh," Cas yelled, startled.

"You found it. It's a lid," said Sam.

"A lid? On what?" asked Castiel.

"I don't know," said Sam. "We're here, though. Open it."

Castiel lifted off the lid, and sunlight shone through. He climbed out, grateful to be done climbing the ladder. Sam climbed out after him.

"Here we are," said Sam. "You're on your own from now on."

"What?" said Castiel.

"I said I would take you as far as I could," said Sam. "Don't blame me. Dean will know if I take you anywhere but back to the start of the Labyrinth."

"Wait a minute!" Castiel said. "Sam!"

"This is as far as I can go," Sam argued.

"You cheat!" Cas exclaimed. "You nasty cheat!"

"I don't care what you think of me," said Sam.

"You said you'd keep your deal because you're a hunter," Cas argued. "I guess you're not a hunter, so you don't need this." He snatched Sam's hunting bag.

"Hey!" Sam said. "Give that back. It has the Colt, and the salt, and my demon knife, and the Holy Water!"

"Thanks for letting me know what all this stuff is," Castiel said, smirking. He glanced around. "There's the castle, so which way should we go?"

"Those are mine," Sam insisted. "Give them back."

Castiel shook his head. "Not happening."

"The labyrinth's not exactly safe," Sam said. "If we get attacked, do you know how to use any of that?"

"But if I give you this back, you'll just run off," Castiel argued. "How would that be better?"

Sam groaned in defeat. "Fine."

"Great," Cas said, smiling. "Which way do we go?"

"I don't know," Sam growled. "I haven't been to this bit recently."

"Okay," Castiel said. "Let's ask him." He ran over to an old man who was sitting on the other side of the courtyard.

"Excuse me, sir," Castiel said. "Can you help me?"

"Oh," the old man said. "A child."

His hat made an odd cawing noise.

"And who is this, huh?" the man asked, looking at Sam.

"My friend," Castiel answered.

"Well, yes," the man said. "And what can I do for you?"

"Please, I need to get to the castle at the center of this labyrinth. Do you know the way?"

"Ah," the man said.

"Ehh," his hat said.

"Ah," the man repeated.

"Ehh," the hat copied.

"Well, yes, now," the man said. "You _-_ want to get to the _castle_."

"How's that for brainpower, huh?" his hat commented.

"Be quiet!" the man ordered his hat.

"Ah, nuts," the hat said.

"So, young man, the way forward is sometimes the way back."

"Ah!" the hat added. "Will you listen to this crap."

Sam groaned.

"Will you please be quiet!" the man said to the hat.

"Alright," the hat said.

"Okay?"

"Okay," the hat agreed.

"Alright?" the man asked.

"Alright," the hat repeated.

"What?" the man asked.

"Sorry," the hat said.

"Finished?" the man asked.

"Yes."

The man turned back to Castiel. "Quite often, young man, it seems like we're not getting anywhere when in fact-" he paused for dramatic effect.

"We are!" his hat said cheerfully.

He scowled at it. "We _are_ ," he said.

"I'm really not getting anywhere now," Cas said.

"Ha! Join the club," the hat said.

The man started snoring.

"I, uh, think that's your lot," the hat said. "Please, leave a contribution in the little box."

Castiel checked his pockets. "Um…" He looked at Sam.

"Well, I don't have anything," Sam said. "You took all my stuff."

Cas pulled out the tube of lipstick he'd stolen from Naomi and dropped it in.

"Gracias, Senor Niño," the hat said.

"You didn't have to give him that," Sam said. "It's not like he told you anything useful."

"What was I going to use it for?" Castiel asked.

"Well, well, then, there go a couple of suckers," the hat said.

The old man continued to snore obliviously.

"Ugh. It's so stimulating being your hat," the hat complained.

Castiel and Sam continued on, trying random turns at Castiel's whim.

"Back there- you said I was you friend," said Sam. "Why was that?"

"Well, you are," said Castiel. "You haven't been terribly helpful, but it's not like I have a million friends in this place. In fact, you're the only one I can think of at the moment."

"Huh," said Sam. "Okay. Friends, I guess."

"Friends," said Castiel. "Do you hear that?" There was metal clanging and hooves clattering.

"Probably nothing," said Sam, but he looked a little uneasy and kept glancing at his tool bag in Castiel's hand.

"Friends," Sam mused. "I'll take it, I guess. I haven't had too many of those."

Around another bend, they could hear louder yelling and clattering. Sam backed up and tried to run off.

"Hey," complained Cas. "Where are you going? Come on!"

"You can have my stuff," said Sam. "I'm not going that way."

"Well, I am, and if you're my friend, you won't let me go there alone," said Castiel.

"I'm not your friend, then," said Sam. "I look after myself. Anybody would. Let me go."

"Okay, but you're a coward," said Castiel.

"Do I look like I care?" asked Sam. His face softened. "Do take care of yourself, kid. And don't lose my gear. You're gonna want it."

Cas turned and walked toward the noise alone.

"I'm not scared," he told himself. "This probably won't be as bad as it sounds."


	7. Mumble, Mumble

_A/N Hello everyone! This chapter goes off the Labyrinth movie plotline more than the previous ones did. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I just couldn't see Castiel doing quite what Sarah did, and once I'd already changed something I didn't want to not have it make any difference. I wouldn't want it to seem like Sarah's choices weren't having a real effect._ _From this point onwards the story may stray farther from the original. It shouldn't be drastic, but it will be there._

 _Mumble, Mumble_

When Castiel saw what was making the noise, he almost laughed. A handful of little knights in big heavy helmets were stumbling around, yelling and playing with some kind of crustaceans on spears.

"Ha-ha! Try this for size, you big hippie," yelled one of them, thrusting his crustacean at a large furry beast dangling by his feet from a tree.

"We've got you now, fuzz ball," said another. "Ha ha!"

Castiel was angry. He couldn't understand why they were attacking the poor helpless beast. He snuck around between the angry knights, accidentally bumping one of them, who turned and accidently attacked another knight. Cas snuck towards the tree, and untied the beast. When the knights heard him fall to the ground, they fled in terror, bumping into each other and screaming.

Castiel helped the creature to its feet.

"I'm Castiel," said Castiel.

The creature roared and flailed. Then it saw that its attackers had fled, and only Castiel was still there. It backed up and looked at him suspiciously.

"Ludo?" asked the beast.

"Ludo? Is that your name?" asked Cas.

Ludo nodded.

Cas smiled. "I helped you. I guess that makes us friends."

"Cashew- friend?" asked Ludo.

"Yes," said Castiel. "We're friends."

"Cashew friend," said Ludo, walking closer.

"Wait a second," said Castiel. "I have a question to ask you."

"Hmm, what?" said Ludo.

"I'm trying to find the castle in the center of the labyrinth," said Castiel. "Do you know how to get there?"

Ludo thought about it. For a moment, his eyes lit up, and Castiel hoped he would know the answer, but he just shook his head. "No."

"That's okay," said Castiel quickly. "I'll just keep trying."

He turned and tried to guess where to go. "I wonder if anybody knows how to get through the labyrinth," he mused.

Sam was still in earshot. "Get through the labyrinth," he grumbled. "The only thing I know is that he'll never get through the Labyrinth. Not the way he's going."

Castiel turned and stared at some doors that hadn't been there before. "What do you think, Ludo? Which door should we try?"

The doors had elaborate brass knockers, and the one on the left spoke, "It's very rude to stare."

"Sorry," Cas said. "I didn't mean to be rude. I was just trying to decide which way to go."

"What?" the knocker asked.

Castiel noticed that the ring of the knocker went through the carved ears on the figure. Perhaps that made it hard to hear.

"It's no good asking him," the right knocker said in a muffled voice. His ring was stuck in his mouth and didn't affect his ears. "He's as deaf as a post."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," the left knocker ordered.

"I'm not talking with my mouth full," the right knocker complained inaccurately.

"I can't understand you," Castiel said. "Here." He pulled the ring out of the right knocker's mouth and handed it to Ludo.

"What were you saying?" the left knocker asked.

The right knocker smacked his lips and sighed with relief.

"It is so good to get that thing out," he said.

"What were you saying earlier?" Castiel asked.

"I said, 'It's no good talking to him; he's deaf as a post.'"

"Mumble, mumble, mumble, you're a wonderful conversational companion," the left knocker complained.

"You can talk," the right knocker said. "All you do is moan!"

"No good," the left knocker said. "Can't hear you."

The right knocker gave an exasperated sigh.

"What's behind these doors?" Castiel asked.

"What?" the left knocker asked, genuinely this time.

"Search me," the right knocker said. "We're just the knockers."

"Okay," Cas said. He went to the left door and pushed on it. "How do I get through?"

"Huh?" the left knocker asked.

"Knock," the right knocker announced grandly, "And the door will open." He seemed quite proud of his role as a knocker.

Castiel took the brass ring back from Ludo, who'd put it in his mouth, and offered it to the right knocker.

"I don't want that thing back in my mouth," the right knocker protested.

"But I want to knock," Castiel said.

"Nuh-uh," the knocker said.

"Hah! Doesn't want his ring back in his mouth, eh?" the left knocker said. "Can't say I blame him."

"Don't you want to be a good knocker?" Castiel asked.

"Not particularly," the right knocker said.

"I guess I'll use the other door, then," Cas said. He left the ring on the floor and knocked on the left door. It opened.

He and Ludo walked through and found themselves at the foot of a small mountain. A very steep trail ran up it.

"Uh-uh," said Cas. "Why? Why does this happen to me?"

Meanwhile, the goblins in the palace were still pretty tipsy. They were standing around, giggling randomly. Jack burped.

"You're welcome," said the Goblin King. Jack fussed.

Dean rocked him gently. "Well, he's a lively little chap," he said to nobody in particular. "I think I'll call him Dean. He's got my eyes."

The goblins laughed and chattered stupidly.

Castiel and Ludo were still looking at the mountain they had to climb.

"Ludo scared," said Ludo.

"Scared, huh? Me too. I have no idea how we're going to manage this," said Castiel. "I'm going to fail, aren't I? What am I going to do, Ludo?"

Ludo tucked a big furry arm around Castiel.

"Ludo and Cashewel friends, remember?"

Castiel patted Ludo on the back and stepped forward.

"Well, we have to try. Or at least, I do. You can go home if you want to, Ludo."

Ludo sighed and followed Castiel, but he was a pretty slow hiker and had a lot of trouble on the steep parts. Castiel was getting tired, and they weren't even a third of the way up the mountain yet. Castiel tried to hurry, but he had to keep waiting for Ludo. Eventually he couldn't even keep up with Ludo and Ludo had to wait for him.

Ludo stopped for the fifth time. When Castiel caught up, he waited for him to catch his breath.

"Ludo carry Cashew Man," offered Ludo.

Castiel yawned. He didn't have the energy to object, so he let Ludo give him a piggy-back ride.

Ludo didn't notice that there was a hole in the ground in front of them, so he walked right into it. They free fell down into a rocky tunnel. Castiel snatched at the rocks and managed to stop his fall. Ludo didn't.

Castiel stared downwards. "Ludo?" he called. "Ludo!"

No one answered.

"I can't save Jack, and now I can't help Ludo," Castiel said. He looked up. "I could climb up easily enough."

Cas let go of the rocks and let himself fall.

Ludo was surprised when he hit the bottom and Cas wasn't with him.

"Cashew? Cashew?!" he called desperately. Castiel was his friend, and now he'd lost him. Suddenly Castiel dropped out of the tunnel and landed in Ludo's arms.

"Cashew!" Ludo bellowed excitedly. "Cashew came."

Castiel wasn't sure which of them was more surprised.

"Yes. Now put me down," he said. Ludo dropped him, and he landed on his butt.

"Ow," said Castiel.

"Ludo sorry," said Ludo, hanging his head.

"No, it's okay," grumbled Cas. "Not like I broke my tailbone."

"Whass tailbone?" asked Ludo.

"Never mind," said Castiel, getting up and brushing himself off. "Where are we?"

Ludo scratched his head.

"Ludo don't know."

Castiel glanced around. They weren't going to make it back up the tunnel they came from, that was for sure. To his right was a large pool of dark-colored water, and to his left were a series of short tunnels leaving the main one. Straight ahead, the tunnel continued on with some twists and turns.

"I guess we'll follow a tunnel," Cas said. "Let's go." He chose one of the ones to the left.

Castiel was too tired to notice that the tunnel was getting shorter rapidly. Ludo couldn't fit and just stood there, waiting for Castiel to turn around and notice that he wasn't following.

The tunnel ended in a dead end.

"There's no way through," Castiel said. "We'll have to go back." He turned around.

The tunnel went back normally for about three feet before leading up and into a forest. It had changed.

"Ludo!" Castiel cried. "Ludo, where are you? Help! Ludo! I'm _lost_."

Ludo was nowhere to be found. Cas was alone.


	8. I Won't Hurt Him

_"_ _I Won't Hurt Him"_

"Ludo? Sam? Jack? Dad? Mum? Anyone, help!" he called. "Sam, where are you? Help!"

Sam heard Castiel. "I'm coming, Castiel!" he called out. "Hang in there!"

"Well, if it isn't my little brother," said Dean, appearing behind him. "Sammy, what are you doing?"

Sam turned. "Uh, none of your business," he said, smiling politely.

Dean laughed. "Nice try. Now where are you going?"

"I lost Castiel, but I can hear him now, so if you'll excuse me, I'll just go help him find his way back out of the labyrinth," said Sam.

"Uh-huh," said Dean. "You know, for a minute there, I thought you were running to help him find his way to the middle of the Labyrinth. But no, not after I warned you. Right, Sammy?"

"Of course, not after your warning," said Sam, trying to fake it. "No way. I'm not that dumb."

"Oh, no," said Dean. "Poor Sammy. You lost your tools, didn't you. I just noticed."

"What? Oh, yeah, must have dropped them somewhere…"

"Nice try," said Dean, grabbing Sam by the throat.

"Ugh, ack, Dean, pleaseputmedown, ow, I can't breathe, help," muttered Sam.

"You never let those out of your sight! Castiel has them, doesn't he?"

Sam coughed weakly and nodded. Dean put him down.

"Dean… why?" asked Sam, in a strained voice.

"I warned you, but you disobeyed me," said Dean.

"Dude, Dean, I didn't just give him those. He took them. There was nothing I could do."

"Sammy, I already told you to back off, but you didn't listen to me, did you? You lied to me, followed Castiel around and did whatever he said, and then he got your toolkit. You wanna tell me you backed off? I don't think so."

"Dean, please, chill," begged Sam. "Aren't I your brother?"

"You call this being a brother to me?" asked Dean cruelly.

Sam just stared at him.

"Go find Castiel, since you seem to like him so much," said Dean. "But give him this." He tossed Sam a small ripe peach. Sam took it.

"What is this?" asked Sam.

"Call it a present," said Dean. "Just give it to him."

"You're not going to hurt the kid, are you?"

"Yeah, why do you care?" asked Dean. "What, you like him better than me or something? Give him the peach."

"I won't hurt him," said Sam.

"Come _on_ , Sammy. Which of us is your brother? What, did he tell you you two were best buddies or something?"

"Hmmph," said Sam.

"You're losing your head, Sammy. I'm surprised at you."

"I have not lost my head, Dean."

"Surely you don't think he likes you? After the whole demon blood thing? And with hair that outdated? Sam, Castiel is thirteen! He wants buddies who are either cool or his own age, and you're clearly neither."

"Come on," said Sam. "My hair is perfectly cool. We're the freaking most popular TV show practically on the planet."

"Shows what you know," said Dean.

"What, because I'm not into sparkly gloop in my hair?"

" _Hair gel_ , Sam. That is exactly why. You don't even recognize the simplest hair products."

"Castiel doesn't care whether I put _hair gel_ in my hair, Dean. He said we were-"

"What? Bosom companions? Friends?"

Sam hung his head. "Yeah, Dean, he said we were friends." He looked up, eyes blazing. "You're just jealous because you don't have any."

"Give him the peach, Sam, or I'll tip you headfirst into that ole bog, you hear? Get out of here," said Dean.

"Fine, whatever," mumbled Sam, walking away tensely.

"Hey, Sammy," Dean called.

"Yeah, what?" asked Sam, disgusted.

"If Castiel ever so much as hugs you, I'll make you a prince."

"What?"

"Prince of the land of stench," laughed Dean.

Sam shook his head and turned away.

"Ludo?" called Castiel. "Ludo?" He climbed out of the tunnel, still calling for anyone he could think of. "Sam? Help!"

He walked through the woods in a random direction. He hit his head on a branch because he wasn't looking where he was going.

"Ow!" Castiel yelped.

He felt his forehead, and his hand came away with a trickle of blood on it.

"I need a mirror," Castiel said. "I can't see how bad it is." He thought about that. "It might actually be good that I can't see it. It'll hurt more if I know what it looks like."

He felt a bit dizzy and sat down. Then he felt very tired. He wanted to sleep, but he knew how dangerous it was to fall asleep with a head injury. He got up and walked around so that he wouldn't just drift off.

Castiel was pacing back and forth when a vine snaked around his ankle. He tried to pull his leg free, but the thorn bush he'd been standing next to came to life and pulled him into it. The vines hissed and laughed at Cas' struggles.

"Please, let me go," Castiel begged. "What do you want?"

Thorns dug into his skin.

"Ow," Castiel yelped. "Stop it! Please. No. Ow!"

Castiel couldn't move. All he could do was stand there as hundreds of thin, sharp branches wound themselves around him. They left painful, stinging scratches on all his exposed skin.

"Ludo! Sam! Somebody! Anybody! Help!" Castiel shouted for what felt like hours but was probably only a few minutes.

He heard rustling a ways away in the woods.

"Help!" Cas cried.

"Castiel?"

"Sam," Castiel said.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"A bush tried to eat me," Castiel said. "Help me, please."

"How?" Sam asked. "You stole all my hunting gear."

"I don't know how," Castiel said. He sounded like he was going to start crying.

Sam pulled out the silver pocket knife Castiel had given him in the oubliette. A lot of monsters were scared of silver. He hoped the bush monster was one of them. Sam hacked through the bramble without too much trouble. It appeared that bushes were scared of silver.

Castiel was pale and shaking when Sam reached him. He looked like he might fall over, so Sam helped him sit down.

Sam pulled his tool bag from Cas' shoulder. Cas looked a bit scared, like Sam might just take the bag and abandon him. Sam laid his hand on Castiel's shoulder to reassure him. He took a bottle of water from the bag and dampened a strip of cloth. Sam used the cloth to wipe the blood from Castiel's forehead and found that the injury was smaller than he'd expected.

"You bleed a lot," Sam told Castiel.

"It hurts," Castiel complained.

"Drink this," Sam ordered, handing Cas a bottle.

Castiel took a sip. "It's awful," he complained. "What is it?"

"It'll help you rehydrate," Sam said. "It's just water, salt and sugar."

"It's disgusting," Cas said, but he drank about two cups of the stuff.

Castiel's head cleared and he sat up straighter.

"I'll never look at a bush the same way again," he said. "Thanks so much. I thought I'd be stuck there forever, and it acted like it might choke me."

"It's not a big deal," Sam said gruffly. "Here, take the knife. You'll need it if you get caught in one of those again."

"It really is a big deal," Cas said. He threw his arms around Sam and hugged him. Sam tried to pull away, but it was already too late. The ground underneath them caved in.

They tumbled down a stone tunnel. Sam almost fell off the narrow ledge into the bog below. He managed to grip a piece of solid root about eight inches long, but that was all that was between him and smelling bad forever.

"Cas- help," Sam muttered.

"Don't let go, Sam. I got you," said Castiel. He pulled as hard as he could and eventually had to stand up and lean back with his full wait to help Sam get back on the ledge, but they made it.

Cas sat down dizzily, still weak from the thornbush. The smell from the bog made him feel nauseous.

"What is that?" asked Castiel. "It smells awful."

"That is the Bog of Eternal Stench Dean was talking about," said Sam.

"It's disgusting," said Castiel.

"Yeah, well, it's a Bog of Eternal Stench. What do you expect?" asked Sam. "Of course it smells bad. And that's not the worst of it."

"Ew," said Castiel.

"The worst thing is, if you step in it, you'll smell awful for the rest of your life. It doesn't wash off," said Sam.

"Well, let's try not to land in it," Castiel suggested weakly.

"Just sit for a minute," Sam said.

A few minutes later Castiel felt better enough that they were able to start climbing along the ledge.

Sam was shaking his head. "Why'd you have to do it?" he asked.

"Do what? Pull you onto the ledge? Don't tell me you want to stink forever?"

"No, of course not. Why'd you hug me?" complained Sam.

The stones they were walking on fell out from under them, and they barely managed to cling to what was left.

"I hugged you to thank you for saving me, and to show you that I'd forgiven you," said Castiel. "We're buddies."

"Well, next time, don't," said Sam.

"Okay, but I don't understand why you're mad at me," said Castiel.

"Because you made Dean mad at us. He threatened to dump me in the Bog of Eternal Stench if you hugged me."

"Ooooh," said Cas. "Sorry, Sam. I didn't know. He's a real piece of work, isn't he?"

"Well, he did give me a present for you. A peach. I think I still have it somewhere," said Sam. The stone under him rolled off and they both tumbled down.

Fortunately, they landed on a wider ledge, which also had Ludo on it.

Unfortunately, Ludo accidentally sat on Sam.

"Smell," complained Ludo.

Sam's legs kicked frantically.

"Get off of me," he said, in a muffled voice.

Cas helped Ludo get up, and Sam crawled out, indignant.

Ludo growled.

"No, it's okay," Cas said to them, trying to ignore his spinning headache. "Sam, this is Ludo. He's a friend, too."

"That thing is your friend?" asked Sam.

"Smell," moaned Ludo.

"Right," said Castiel. "It does smell pretty bad. Let's go."

"I won't complain," said Sam. "How do we get out of here?"

"That's a bridge," said Castiel, nodding towards the structure and immediately wishing he hadn't. They walked toward it silently. Sam looked worriedly at Cas.

They were almost to the bridge when Sir Didymus, a cute, furry little man dressed like a knight wannabe leaped out in front of them and yelled, "Stop!"

"Please let us across," Castiel said.

"Without my permission, no one may cross," Sir Didymus said.

"We need to get through," Castiel pleaded. "Please, I only have a little time left."

"We've got to get away from this awful stench," Sam added, gagging.

"Smell bad," Ludo rumbled unhappily.

"Stench?" Sir Didymus asked. "Of what speakest thou?"

"The smell!" Cas said, holding his hand over his nose.

Sir Didymus sniffed the air. "I smell nothing."

"You're joking," Sam said.

"I live by my sense of smell," the little knight declared. He took a deep breath. "Ah. The air is sweet and fragrant, and _none may pass without my permission_."

"Smell bad," Ludo repeated.

"Ugh," Sam groaned. "Just get out of the way already." He started forward.

Sir Didymus leaped in his way and poked him with his shiny stick. "I warn you, I am sworn to do my duty!" He smacked Sam's knees with his stick. It was probably the highest thing he could reach.

Cas felt dizzy, but he had to do something. "We have to save my brother," he told Sir Didymus.

Sir Didymus turned on him and smacked him.

Cas yelped and took a few steps back. Ludo came to Castiel's defense and Sir Didymus attacked him too. Castiel sat down and held his head.

Ludo picked Sir Didymus up by the stick. Sir Didymus wouldn't let go of his precious staff. He was lifted into the air, squawking indignantly.

"Listen, I don't want to have to hurt you," Sir Didymus squeaked.


	9. A Present from Dean

_A Present From Dean_

Sam slipped past them in the commotion and ran across the bridge.

"Sam, wait!" Castiel called. "Sam?"

"Let go of my staff, sir!" Sir Didymus ordered Ludo.

Ludo unceremoniously dropped him. Sir Didymus yelped slightly before jumping back to his feet and hitting Ludo's calf with his stick. He somehow leaped onto Ludo's back.

"Alright then," he said. "I can conquer this mountain!"

Sir Didymus scrambled onto Ludo's head and started hitting him in the forehead with his stick. Ludo blinked. He howled and tossed his head forward. Sir Didymus fell, holding onto Ludo's ears. He was suspended in the air. Ludo reached a finger toward him, and he tried to bite it.

The tip of Ludo's finger was only a little smaller than Sir Didymus' head, so it didn't really work. Sir Didymus was thrown sideways and Ludo clutched his finger, more confused than hurt. Sir Didymus fell hard but came running right back, jabbering and slapping Ludo with his crop. Ludo picked up a large branch and tried to hit Sir Didymus with it, but the little guy just kept ducking and dodging every blow.

Finally, Sir Didymus ducked into a hollow tree root, and Ludo smashed it with the branch. Sir Didymus appeared in the trunk of the tree, looking a little stunned.

"Enough!" he called. "Before this day, never have I met my match in battle. Yet this noble knight has fought me to a standstill."

"Are you alright, Ludo?" asked Castiel, making sure he was okay.

"Smell," complained Ludo.

Sir Didymus was still talking. "Sir Ludo, if that's thy name, now, I, Sir Didymus, yield to thee. Come, let us be brothers henceforth, and fight for the right as one."

Ludo helped Sir Didymus down from the tree.

"Ah, thank you very much," chattered Sir Didymus.

"Ludo get brother," said Ludo, pleased with the arrangement.

"Well met, Sir Ludo," said Sir Didymus.

"Good," said Castiel. He got up and started to cross the bridge, still feeling a little weak. "Come on, Ludo." Sir Didymus blocked him.

"Wait a minute," he protested. "You forget my sacred vow, young lad. I cannot let you pass."

"Look, Sir Didymus, Ludo defeated you," said Castiel. "Don't you think you've fulfilled your vow already?"

"I have taken an oath, and I must defend it to the death," insisted Sir Didymus.

"Smell," complained Ludo.

"What exactly did you swear?" asked Castiel.

"I have sworn with my life's blood. No one shall pass this way without my permission."

"May we have your permission?" asked Castiel.

Sir Didymus looked confused. "Well, I uh- huh. Yes?" He looked to Castiel and Ludo for approval.

"Thank-you," said Castiel.

"Good sir," said Sir Didymus, doffing his cap.

Castiel looked at the others, then started to cross the bridge. It felt pretty wobbly.

"Have no fear," said Sir Didymus. "This bridge has lasted for a thousand years!" He tapped on the rock foundation to prove his point, and the rock shattered. Castiel just had time to grab onto the branches above him before the bridge fell into the bog completely. He kicked his feet and looked for another branch to grab, but there weren't any close enough.

Sam ran to the edge, but there wasn't much he could do. There were about six feet of mud between him and where Castiel dangled in the air helplessly.

"Fear not, noble lad!" yelled Sir Didymus. "I will save thee. Somehow," he finished lamely. He scratched his head. Ludo bellowed.

"Sir Ludo, canst thou sit by and howl, when yonder fine lad needs our help?"

Ludo raised his head and bellowed again. Cas's head ached, and he hoped whatever Ludo was doing would work soon and he could stop bellowing. A huge boulder rolled toward Castiel, following the sound of Ludo's voice. When it came to a stop beneath him, he dropped and landed on the rock. Ludo called more rocks and began to create a path of stepping stones.

"Thank you, Ludo," said Castiel. "That was incredible."

"My brother," said Sir Didymus in awe, "canst thou summon up the very rocks?"

"Sure," said Ludo. "Rocks friends."

"That's amazing, man," said Sam. He stepped onto the nearest stone and helped Castiel onto the dry bank.

"Thanks, Sam," said Castiel. He leaned heavily on Sam.

"Castiel, are you feeling okay?" asked Sam. "You don't look good at all."

Ludo started to cross. He had to be careful because his feet were much bigger compared to the rocks.

"Careful there, buddy," said Sam.

"Sir Ludo, wait for me," said Sir Didymus. "Oh, Ambrosius!" he called.

A fluffy white dog came up the path.

"It's all right, Ambrosius, you can come out now," said Sir Didymus. "Oh, come on. Thattaboy. My loyal steed." Castiel saw a small saddle and blanket on the dog, and wondered if Sir Didymus was actually going to ride him. He did; he rode Ambrosius across the stones.

"Let's get out of here," said Castiel. "I'm okay, Sam. I'm just really hungry and tired, and my head hurts a lot."

Sam let the others pass him. He found the peach in his pocket and held it in his hand, wondering what would happen if he just dropped it into the bog.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Dean's voice. Sam almost dropped it anyway, he was so startled.

"Dean, dude, don't scare me like that. Besides, you can't really expect me to give this to Castiel."

Dean ignored him.

"Dude, Dean, you can't just ignore me like this. I really will throw your stupid peach in the bog."

Dean appeared on the other side of the bog.

"It's just a present, Sam. Tell him it's from me. Just stop being stubborn and help me out here, okay, bro?"

"No," said Sam. "This isn't cool, Dean. You did something to that peach. I don't trust you."

"Why does everything have to be about you, Sammy? Just _give him the freaking peach_."

"No, Dean. Everything is about you. You started this, you started treating me like dirt, you stole Jack from Castiel. What was he supposed to do, just give up? I don't know why you think everyone will just do everything you tell them to do. You're lying to yourself, Dean."

Dean tried a different tack.

"Don't you trust Castiel?" he asked Sam.

"Of course," said Sam. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you think he deserves some respect? He did, after all, get most of the way through the Labyrinth with only a little very questionable help," Dean pointed out.

"I do respect Castiel. That's why I don't want to hurt him," said Sam. "You're not making any sense, Dean."

"Don't you think Castiel has the right to decide what he wants to do with my present?" manipulated Dean. "Or do you think you have to babysit him all the time? Maybe you don't think he deserves a chance to make his own decisions."

Sam made a face. He turned and threw the peach violently away and fled. He didn't stop to see the peach land on a flat bit of rock, safe and dry.

Dean appeared in front of Sam.

"What do you want?" Sam screamed.

"Hey. It's okay, Sammy. Just give him the peach."

"I can't. I threw it in the bog, okay, Dean? I can't give it to Castiel." He tried to brush past Dean, but Dean stepped into his path and stopped him.

"You know what to do, Sammy," he said, looking Sam in the eye. "The peach landed on a dry rock. It's perfectly fine."

Sam turned around dejectedly and got the peach. Dean was right, it was clean and dry. He really didn't want to give it Castiel, but he took it and hurried up the path.

A few minutes later Dean was sitting on his throne, watching Sam and Castiel through a crystal. He showed Jack the crystal.

"See, Jack?" he said. "He's trying to find you."

Jack clapped his hands together.

"Way too much trouble for such a little guy," Dean continued. "But don't worry, Jack. Cas will give up soon. When Sam gives him my present, he'll forget all about you. He won't remember- anything."

When Sam caught up to Ludo, Castiel, and Sir Didymus, they were all getting hungry. A loud rumbling sound came from somebody's tummy.

"Is that my stomach or yours, Ambrosius?" asked Sir Didymus.

"Hungry," said Ludo.

"Yeah," said Castiel. "Well, we can't stop now. Maybe we can find some berries or something."

Sam realized he did have the peach.

"Uh, Castiel?" he called.

Cas turned around. "What is it, Sam?"

"Well, there is the peach Dean wanted me to give you. I still have it. I don't know if I would trust it, though."

"Huh," said Castiel. "At this point, we might have to. I really need to find Jack before the time limit runs out, and that peach is the only food we have."

Sam wrinkled his nose, but he held the peach out to Castiel. "Do whatever you want with it, I guess. Dean just said it was a present for you."

"Okay," said Castiel. The peach looked really good. It wasn't even bruised from being in Sam's pocket, and it was perfectly ripe. It smelled great, especially after the Bog of Eternal Stench.

He bit it cautiously. Then he stiffened.

"This tastes strange," he said.

"Eh, maybe the Bog got in your nose?" offered Sam. He really hoped Dean hadn't messed with that peach.

"Sam, what did you do to this peach?" Castiel asked, already feeling confused.

"Dammit, Dean," said Sam. "I should never have listened to you." He turned away.

Castiel stumbled to a tree and gripped it for balance. "Everything's spinning," he complained.

Sam's heart wrenched and he turned back. Castiel was shaking. He really didn't look good. Sam helped Castiel sit down and watched him fall asleep. At least he could make sure nothing happened to Castiel while he was down for the count.

Back at the castle, Dean was juggling four crystals in one hand. He blew one away, and it floated to Castiel on the wind. He carefully watched its path and blew the other three after it.

The crystals were hard to see in their transparent form and slipped past Sam. They reached Castiel and he was sucked inside a dream.

Ludo and Sir Didymus were still walking.

"Yea, verily," said Sir Didymus, "the castle doth lie yonder, my friend." They had reached a place where there was a good view of the castle. Castiel wasn't behind them.

"Good sir Castiel?" asked Sir Didymus. He and Ludo turned and looked for Castiel.

A transparent crystal, like a bubble, floated past Ludo. Ludo watched it nervously. He could see Castiel's dream, but there was nothing he could do about it.


	10. Castiel Dreams

_Castiel Dreams_

Castiel was standing at the rail of a ship, looking out across the open ocean. Well, not quite open. Another ship was on the horizon. He stared around himself in awe and confusion. He was on an old style English merchant ship.

"Hey, Novak!" someone called.

Novak. The name sounded familiar, but Castiel couldn't place it. "Is that my name?" he whispered.

"You feeling okay, Novak?" the man asked.

"I'm not sure," Cas said. He looked out over the ocean. "What ship is that?"

"Just another merchant vessel," the guy said. "We'll pass by them soon."

Castiel rubbed his eyes. "My head feels funny."

"Go below for a few minutes," the man recommended. "It'll storm in a few hours, and you'll want to be healthy for that."

Castiel went below decks and lay in a hammock. The rocking of the boat helped him feel better for a few minutes. Then the boat jostled, and people started yelling above deck.

"What's happening?" he asked, sitting up.

Castiel heard cannon fire and gunshots.

"Oh, no," he whispered. This wasn't good. He looked around for weapons, but he didn't appear to have any. If an enemy came down from the battle, Cas would be defenseless.

The cannon fire continued, and Castiel heard wood breaking. A crack appeared in the side of the ship, and water leaked through.

"Uh-oh," Cas whispered. This wasn't good.

The ship lurched strangely. Castiel ran out of the room and onto the deck. The sail was knocked over by a cannon ball, and a piece from it hit Castiel hard on the head. He saw stars, and the next few minutes passed in a dizzy blur. Cas ended up in the water by an intact ship, dazed and clinging weakly to a floating board.

Castiel noted that the ship was flying pirate sails. That was no merchant ship. He lost his grip on the board. Too weak to swim, he started sinking. He was too dizzy to even tread water.

Cas saw someone dive off the side of the pirate ship. There was no noticeable splash when he hit the water, which impressed Castiel. This man could dive. He grabbed Castiel around the waist and pulled him out of the water.

There was a rope, and Castiel had the blurry impression that they were floating through the air. Then he was on the deck, in the arms of the man who'd rescued him. The man tried to get Cas to stand on the deck, but Cas' legs couldn't take his weight and the man gave up.

"Who are you?" Castiel asked. His voice was rough from the saltwater.

"I'm Dean," the man said.

"Captain Winchester?" a voice asked.

"Yeah?" Dean asked.

 _So he's the pirate captain_ , Castiel thought. _Cool! I always wanted to be a pirate_.

The rest of the exchange was lost on Cas, but he noticed when Dean handed him to someone else. He moaned weakly in protest but he didn't think anyone heard. This new person wasn't as gentle as Dean. He dragged Castiel below deck and roughly chained him up with a bunch of other prisoners from Castiel's ship.

The chains hurt, and Castiel's head throbbed. _Maybe pirates are less cool than I thought._

One by one the other captives were taken away, until Castiel was the only one left. By this time he was scared. None of the other people had come back. What had happened? Were they free or dead? Was Cas going to die? He didn't want to die. It couldn't just end now. He had his whole life left to live.

Castiel was scared. Pirates were not nice. He struggled a little against the chains, and they dug deeply into his wrists. He started to cry from a combination of fear and pain.

Two pirates came in. "Ow," one said. "This feller's a cutie. Bet he'd taste real good."

 _Taste?_ Castiel wondered. _Are they- cannibals? Never mind, I don't want to know._

"Think the Cap'n's got somethin' special planned fer this un," the other said, leering at Castiel.

Cas shivered and winced when they unchained him, but he didn't put up any serious resistance. They had to drag him out of the brig because he was still too weak to walk. They weren't at all gentle. They reached their destination and dumped Castiel on the ground. He was too weak to get up.

"You can go," a familiar voice said.

Castiel heard footsteps and a door closing.

"Dean?" Cas asked weakly.

"Hey, kiddo," Dean said. "Sorry about that." He helped Castiel sit up.

"It's fine," Castiel said softly. He tucked his knees against his chest and hid his face behind them.

"It's really okay," Dean said. "Nobody here'll hurt you."

Castiel cautiously showed Dean the bloody rings on his wrist from the chains.

Dean sighed.

"And they already have," he said. He went across the room, and Castiel heard the sound of a drawer opening and closing.

Dean came back with gauze, a tube of something, and scissors. Castiel was rather fixated on the scissors. They didn't look like a torture mechanism, but they could certainly hurt.

"What are you going to do?" Castiel asked in a whisper.

"Give me your hand," Dean ordered instead of answering.

Castiel didn't feel confident enough to refuse or vocally question Dean's orders, but he looked up at Dean with scared, questioning eyes.

"Just give me your hand already," he said. "I'm not going to cut it off."

Castiel guessed that compliance was probably the safest option. He hesitantly extended his arm toward Dean, who proceeded to clean and bandage the wound on Cas' wrist. Dean used the scissors that had so scared Castiel to cut strips off the gauze.

"Thank you," Castiel said softly.

"It was my fault in the first place," Dean countered. "The other arm?"

"You saved my life in the first place," Castiel corrected as he gave Dean his other arm. "A few cuts on my wrists are a small price to pay."

"And I attacked your ship," Dean said. "That makes everything that's happened to you my fault."

Castiel shrugged, then winced at the pain that shot through his head. He studied Dean.

"I can't be the only injured person after that battle," he said. "What made you decide to help me?"

"No idea, kid," Dean said. "You got a name?"

"Castiel," Cas said. "Castiel Novak."

"Castiel. Your parents into angels or something?" Dean asked.

"I think they just liked the name," Castiel said. "My mother had interesting taste, and she wanted something unusual."

Dean noticed Castiel's expression darken at the mention of his mother, but he knew better than to say anything.

"You banged your head," Dean noted.

"Yeah," Cas said. "It's not that bad." He tried for a weak smile.

Dean gently touched Castiel's forehead and Cas flinched, crying out.

"Not that bad, huh?" Dean asked. "Cut the Spartan act."

"Okay," Castiel said meekly. "It hurts a lot and I feel kinda dizzy."

"Come on," Dean said. "I can't really treat that, but rest should help."

He helped Castiel stand. Dean let go, and Cas would've fallen. Dean caught him.

"I'm pathetic," Castiel complained. "This is awful."

"It's normal," Dean told him. "That head injury's not pretty."

"I should've been more careful," Castiel said.

"Sinking ships are hard places to be careful, Cas," Dean said. "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"I guess," Castiel agreed.

Dean helped Castiel sit on the bed.

"Just rest for now," Dean said. "I'll see you in the morning."

"But this is your cabin," Cas protested.

"How far do you want to walk?" Dean asked rhetorically. "I'll sleep on the couch."

He left, not giving Castiel an opportunity to protest. Castiel lay down. He was asleep almost as soon as he closed his eyes.

Sometime later Castiel woke. His head felt better, so he sat up and looked around. Dean was sitting at a desk on the other side of the room with his back to Castiel. He appeared to be writing something.

Castiel didn't want to disturb Dean, but he didn't have anyone else to talk to or anything to do. He walked softly over to Dean and stood behind him.

"Hello, Dean," Cas said.

Dean startled and looked up. "Morning, Sunshine."

Castiel was a little baffled at being called Sunshine, but he didn't mind.

"How're you feeling?" Dean asked.

"A lot better," Castiel said. "I think the rest helped."

"And your wrists?"

Castiel winced. "They're fine," he said.

Dean gave Castiel a very unimpressed look.

"I said cut the Spartan act, remember?" Dean asked with a frustrated expression on his face. "Downplaying stuff like that won't help anyone."

"They could be worse," Castiel said.

Dean just looked at him.

"Okay, they hurt," Castiel admitted. "A lot. I think I slept on them wrong."

Dean took Castiel's hand and cut the bandage off. The cuts were only a little better than they'd been the night before.

"Those chains really got you," Dean said as he replaced the bandages with clean ones.

"It'll heal," Castiel said.

"Yeah," Dean agreed.

Castiel's eyes snagged on a clock on the wall. "Why does that clock have thirteen hours marked on it instead of twelve?" he asked.

Dean casually glanced at the clock. "I don't know. It was here when I stole the ship."

"You stole her?" Castiel asked curiously.

"I'm a pirate, Cas," Dean said. "What did you expect? I renamed her, too."

"What's her name?" Castiel asked. "I was below decks for most of the fight and didn't catch it when I was in the water."

"Technically she's the _Impala_ ," Dean said. "I always call her Baby, though."

Ten minutes and a hundred questions later Castiel had forgotten all about the clock on the wall that was clicking upwards to thirteen. Dean had a million things to distract him with, and Castiel was entirely happy. Pirates were really cool.

Several hours later Castiel was tired enough to have to rest again. Dean lent him a book, and for a while he read without any problems. But one of the characters was named Jack. That name frustrated Castiel for some reason. He felt like he knew someone named Jack. There was something important…

But Cas couldn't remember. Then he realized something scary. He couldn't remember anything. No friends; no family. He didn't even know what ocean the _Impala_ was on, or how he'd ended up on a ship in the first place. The only reason he knew his own last name was because the sailor on the merchant ship had called him Novak.

How had this not worried him before?

Castiel decided to go ask Dean about it. He found Dean alone on deck.

"Dean?" Castiel asked. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Cas," Dean said. "What's wrong?"

"I- I can't remember anything," Castiel said. "And this ship- It's fake, isn't it?" He wasn't sure where the thought had come from, but he was sure he was right.

"Castiel." Dean sighed. "Yeah, you're right. It's fake."

"But why are we here?" Castiel asked.

"I brought us here," Dean told Castiel. "It's cool, right? You needed a break, dude. The real world can be stressful."

"But what happened?" Cas asked. "Dean, where were we? Why do I feel like you're lying?"

"I'm just stretching the truth a little," Dean said. "You don't need to know the whole thing. Besides, the facts are kind of stretchy. They're practically mozzarella."

Castiel stared at Dean, not saying anything.

"Dude, it's just, like, an expression," Dean said. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Castiel turned away. He started to leave, head lowered.

"Cas, are you feeling okay?" Dean asked.

"I'm fine, Dean," Castiel said. "Let me go."

"I'm not touching you."

"Let me out of this illusion, Dean," Castiel said.

"Can't you just live it up a little while you've got it?" Dean asked. "I mean, it is a pirate ship. You've always wanted to be on one of those, right?"

"I don't remember that," Castiel said. "Dean, why can't I remember anything? What've you done to me?"

"Oh, go figure it out," Dean said, snapping his fingers.


	11. Entering the Goblin City

_Entering the Goblin City_

Castiel was falling through the air, floating slightly. He landed in a heap in the middle of a huge junkyard. Sam was about twelve feet away, having lit a small fire. He couldn't find Castiel and was worrying about him.

"He'll never forgive me _or_ Dean," said Sam to himself. "What have we done?"

He let his head fall into his hands. "I've lost my only friend besides Dean. Now what am I going to do?"

Castiel stirred and woke up. He was still holding the peach, but a worm was crawling out of the place where he'd bitten it.

"Oh, ew," he yelled, and threw the peach away. "I ate that? Yuck! What was I doing?"

He stood up, pushing himself off of the pile of trash he'd fallen onto.

"Get off my back," said a woman's voice. With a shock he recognized Meg climbing out of the garbage, but she had a whole load of junk tied onto her back. It was ridiculous.

"Meg," said Castiel. "Why are you here? What happened to you?"

Meg ignored this. "Why don't you look where you're going, boy? Hmm?"

"I was," said Castiel.

"Huh? Hm? And where was that? Huh? Do you even know where you're going?" asked Meg.

"I don't remember," said Castiel, still confused.

"You can't look where you're going if you don't know where you're going, sweetie," said Meg angrily.

"I think I was searching for something," said Castiel.

"Well, look here," said Meg. "It's your buddy Lancelot. You remember Lancelot?"

Cas took Lancelot and looked at the little bear as if he might be a clue, but nothing came to mind.

"That's what you were looking for, wasn't it, kiddo," said Meg, trying to convince Castiel.

"I don't think so, but maybe," said Castiel. "I just don't remember. It felt like it was something more important than a bear, though."

"Now," said Meg, "Why don't you come in here and see if there's anything else you like?" She opened a hole in one of the junk heaps. Castiel looked inside and saw his room full of toys. He was a little shocked. Meg cackled and gave him a push. He walked into his room and looked around.

Castiel flopped on the bed, still holding Lancelot.

"It was just a dream," he said to the bear. "I dreamed it all, Lancelot, even Dean. He's not real." He thought about it.

Castiel frowned at Lancelot. "Let's go see if Dad's back, okay?" He turned to go towards the door.

Meg came bustling in, back still loaded with junk.

"Stay in here, dear, yes. There's nothing you want out there. No, oh, no."

Castiel felt very confused. What was the dream, and what was the reality? Meg kept handing him more and more of his toys, but they seemed like superficial junk to him. Wasn't he supposed to be looking for something else? Something important?

Soon he was nearly as covered in toys as Meg was in random other junk. He stared in his mirror, wondering what was really happening to him.

"There was something else I was looking for," protested Cas.

"No, it's all here," said Meg. "Don't talk nonsense, honey. Everything you ever cared about is all here."

She prattled on, but Cas had lost interest. He had pulled out his copy of _Labyrinth_ and was reading his favorite part again.

"Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child that you have stolen."

"Huh. Ha. What's the matter, dearie? Don't you like your toys?" Meg bugged him.

"None of this is the point," said Castiel. "This is all junk." Then he remembered. "I have to save Jack from Dean!"

"Well, what about this?" she held up his model pirate ship. "This is not junk, huh? Huh? What about your pirate ship?"

"It is," said Castiel. "People matter, and God matters. These toys don't. They're just stuff. Junk. Please get out of my way, Meg. I need to find Jack."

Castiel watched his room fall apart. The walls crumbled and revealed the junk pile he was trapped in. A hole opened up, and he heard Sir Didymus calling for him.

"Are you alright?" asked Sir Didymus.

"Cashiel?" asked Ludo.

Castiel tried to climb out. Ludo reached down and helped him pull himself out.

"Thanks, Ludo," said Castiel. "Where am I?"

"Look, Castiel, right there," said Sir Didymus. "Those are the gates of the Goblin City."

"Oh," said Castiel. "We might just make it. Let's hurry."

Sam peeked over a heap. He was embarrassed to talk to Ludo and Sir Didymus and especially Castiel after he gave him the peach. If it weren't for him foolishly listening to Dean's nonsense, Castiel would probably already have been reunited with Jack. As it was, they were barely going to make it, if they found Jack in time at all. He watched them leave without him. Well, so be it. He could follow them at a distance and maybe Dean wouldn't even notice him.

"Right," said Sir Didymus. "Ambrosius, forward." He raced to the gate and started trying to wake up the guard. The guard was asleep and wouldn't wake up despite being barked at loudly.

"Quiet," said Castiel. "You'll wake the guards."

"We'll make them all wake up," announced Sir Didymus excitedly.

"Please, Sir Didymus, for my sake, hush," said Castiel.

"Well, of course," said Sir Didymus. "But I'm not a coward?"

"No," said Castiel.

"And my sense of smell is keen?"

"Yes, it is."

"Then I shall fight anyone, anywhere, anyplace, anytime!" yapped Sir Didymus loudly.

"Yes, we know," said Castiel. "Shh." He touched Sir Didymus's nose, and he settled down a bit.

"Come on, quietly," said Castiel. Ludo opened the door and they snuck through.

"Ambrosius, be quiet now," whispered Sir Didymus excitedly. He climbed onto Ambrosius' back and rode him after Castiel and Ludo.

"I don't see why we have to be so quiet," Sir Didymus complained. "It's only a Goblin City."

Castiel looked around nervously. "I feel like something bad's going to happen," he said. "Why's it so quiet?"

Ludo sniffed the air nervously.

The gates clanged shut behind them. Cas jumped at the noise. He looked behind him. In the darkness and silence of the Goblin City, the strangeness of the Labyrinth sounded almost friendly. He didn't like that their main means of escape had been cut off.

Castiel looked back around. "Oh no," he said.

Metal walls swung around and formed another gate in front of them, trapping them inside a small courtyard. In this new gate was a sculpture of a giant metal goblin. It stood over twice Ludo's height and towered over Castiel and Sir Didymus.

"What is it?" Castiel asked.

Nobody answered, because the answer became obvious when the metal giant came to life and stepped out of the wall.

"Who goes?" it asked in a grumbly voice.

Sir Didymus and his dog both started barking. Castiel took a few steps back, meaning to try to open the other gate, but metal spikes shot out of the ground, further erasing any hope of retreat.

"Who goes?" it rumbled again.

When none of them answered it gave up. It slowly turned around and picked up a huge axe that was almost as big as Castiel. It lifted the axe over their heads.

"Watch out," Castiel cried.

The metal goblin brought downs its axe. Ludo jumped to one side, Castiel and Sir Didymus to the other. The axe missed all of them.

Sir Didymus fell off of Ambrosius and immediately hopped up, still barking. Ambrosius ran off and hid under the spikes.

"Ambrosius!" Sir Didymus called, exasperated.

The giant metal man lifted its axe again. It brought it down, missing all of them again. Aim was definitely not its strong point.

"Ambrosius, will you come here," Sir Didymus demanded. "Ambrosius, come here right now!"

Castiel ducked under the axe as the goblin swung it awkwardly in from the side.

"Will you please come?" Sir Didymus asked Ambrosius. "Oh, but you're embarrassing me!"

The axe barely missed Ludo. The goblin was clumsy, but he would get them eventually. Castiel looked around desperately for some kind of inspiration. They had to do something.

A gunshot made him look up. "Sam?" he asked.

Sam was standing on the outer wall, holding a gun.

Castiel noticed that the metal monster had stopped moving.

"One bullet was all it took to stop that thing?" Castiel asked, shocked.

"A special bullet," Sam said. "From a special gun." He tucked the gun back in his bag and jumped down from the wall.

Sam faced Castiel, and his eyes seemed to darken. "I'm not asking to be forgiven," he said roughly. "I'm not ashamed of anything I did. Dean made me give you that peach, and it was your choice to eat it. I don't care what you think of me, and I don't want to be friends."

Castiel stared up at him with slightly wide eyes.

"Sam, there's nothing to forgive," Castiel said. "I'm the one who was dumb enough to eat that peach, and it's not like it was all bad anyway. You saved my life, again. I still want to be your friend."

"You do?" Sam asked, nonplussed.

"And I commend you," Sir Didymus announced. "Rarely have I seen such courage. You are a valiant man, Sir Sam."

Sam choked back a laugh.

Ludo tapped Sam on the shoulder. "Sam and Ludo friends," he said.

"Wow," Sam said, unable to keep from smiling. "Three friends." His smile weakened slightly. "Let's go find Dean and get Jack back." Under his breath he added, "I hope I still have three friends when this is over."

"Ambrosius," Sir Didymus said. "It's safe now. Nothing to be afraid of."

Ambrosius reluctantly came out of his hiding place. Ludo shoved open the gate, and they went through into the Goblin City.


	12. Dean Goes Off Script

_A/N I changed the rating to T in anticipation of events that begin in this chapter. It's not sexual or bloody, but the thematic content increases dramatically. It includes major character planned suicide, so if that's a problem for you, you might not want to read the rest of this story._

 _Dean Goes Off Script_

Dean was sitting quietly with Jack when a goblin ran in, winded and overexcited.

"Your Highness!" shouted the goblin.

Dean tickled Jack's palm. Jack wrapped his fist around Dean's finger and cooed.

"Your Highness, pardon me, but we have a problem."

"A problem, huh? What kind of problem?"

"The boy, you know, the one who ate the peach and forgot everything?"

"Yes," said Dean. "Castiel. What's the matter?"

"Well, he's almost here! With the beast and Sir Didymus, and your brother is close behind!"

"Shh," said Dean, irritably. "Don't be so noisy, you're scaring Jack. Poor Jackie. Listen to this idiot ramble on. Wait- Castiel is here already?!"

"Yes, Your Highness, that's what I'm trying to tell you!"

"Oh," said Dean. "Uuuuhmmm- okay. Okay. Here. You take the baby, but be careful with him, okay? Hide him somewhere Castiel won't find him. I'll go deal with this myself."

Dean hurried out of the room.

Castiel, Sam, Ludo, Sir Didymus and Ambrosius were slowly making their way through the abandoned city.

"I think we are going to succeed," said Sir Didymus.

"Town empty," agreed Ludo.

"Yes, but why is it so quiet?" objected Sam. "I don't like this."

"Stop," said Dean. "I have you surrounded."

Suddenly the city was bristling with goblin spears, and Dean was standing in front of them, blocking their path.

Ambrosius plowed through the unsuspecting goblin ranks with Sir Didymus still on his back, objecting loudly.

"Stop, thou idle steed! Dost thou not understand that we cannot leave our friends in battle alone. Turn around this instant, Ambrosius."

Ludo wrapped his arms around Sam and Castiel protectively. He roared at Dean.

"Very scary," said Dean. "Look, beast, I'm sorry, but you are simply defenseless. Go away and I promise I won't hurt you or your friends."

Ludo growled. He let Sam and Castiel go and charged at Dean. Dean backed away and ducked him, but Ludo was still going. He landed with a crunch on some of the goblins.

One of the goblins was completely crushed, but still managed to talk.

"Hey. No problem. Uhh," it moaned.

"Will you please leave a few of my goblins intact, you hairy furball?" Dean complained. A "helpful" goblin tipped over a third of a house onto Ludo, who whimpered and then passed out.

"Well, that's one more of your number down," said Dean, grinning.

"Dean, don't do this," said Sam.

"What? Did the math and found out you're next? Tough luck, Sammy, tough luck. Now leave, or I really will have to do something about you. I won't be so lenient this time."

Sam clenched his fists. "You can't treat me this way, Dean. Just because you think you're some kind of king."

"It's okay, Sam," said Castiel. "He won't hurt me."

Sam laughed. "You're pathetic, Cas. Let me handle this. It's really time we had this conversation anyway. Dean and I have a lot to talk about."

"Later, Sammy," said Dean. "Let me lay this out for you. Leave now, and I promise we'll have a good long talk as soon as we're finished here. Or stay, and the Bog of Eternal Stench is all yours. Your choice, Sam. What do you really want?"

"I want to have this conversation, right now. You're not getting out of this, Dean."

"Fine," said Dean, blinking. "What do you want to talk about, Sammy?"

"You know what I want to talk about, Dean."

"Well, enlighten me," said Dean.

"Dean, I'm your brother."

"Granted."

"But lately you've been treating me like dirt. Instead of listening to me or even ignoring me, all you ever do is order me around and threaten to dump me in your stupid Bog of Eternal Stench. I'm done, Dean. I'm not having it anymore."

"So you want me to dump you in?" said Dean.

"Will you just shut up and listen to me, Dean? For once? You never listen to a word I say anymore. For once, just listen to what I'm saying. Or maybe you don't even care about me anymore. Maybe you wish I didn't exist, and all you care about is Castiel and your goblins and your stupid Bog of Eternal Stench! Is that how it is, Dean? Is that who you are now? I don't even recognize you anymore."

Cas was freaking out. He turned and tried to flee through the ranks of goblins, but they grabbed his arms and made him watch.

"You not going nowhere," said one goblin.

"Yah, hafta watcha-watcha."

"Dean not done with you. You go when he says go," chattered another.

Dean saw Castiel struggling.

"Sammy, look what you've done," said Dean, a little more softly.

"No, Dean, this is not my fault. Castiel saw you treat me this way, but _you_ made him forget it. Give him his memories back, Dean, all of them. See what he thinks of you when he knows the truth."

"Is it true, Dean?" asked Castiel. He stared at Dean desperately. "Is Sam your brother?"

"He is," said Dean.

Castiel broke away from the goblins and ran as fast as he could anywhere away from Dean and Sam. He found himself lost and alone in the junkyard.

Castiel stumbled over a broken lamp and sat down hard. He started crying.

"Ah, Clarence," someone said.

"Meg?" Castiel asked. She was the only one who called him Clarence.

"Of course it's me," Meg said.

"Go away," Castiel sobbed. "I _hate_ this labyrinth and everything in it."

"You don't have to stay here," Meg said. "Give up on Jack and go home."

"But he's my brother," Castiel protested weakly.

"Dean and Sam are brothers," Meg said. "You've seen how they treat each other."

"It won't be like that," Cas said, but his voice lacked conviction.

"You're right," Meg said sweetly. "It'll be worse than that, because you and Jack are half brothers. Sam and Dean are full blood brothers, and they hate each other."

"Just- just leave, Meg," Castiel said. "I don't want to think anymore."

"You'll feel even worse when I leave, sweetie," Meg said.

"I doubt that's possible."

"All alone with those dark thoughts…" Meg suggested.

"Like your thoughts are any better," Castiel complained. "You're making everything worse."

"I could be distracting," Meg flirted.

"I have to go save Jack," Castiel said in a dull voice, not moving. "Just leave, please."

"You're so boring today, Clarence," Meg complained. "I feel like I'm talking to a broken record."

"That's all I'm good for," Castiel mumbled. "You should just go away. I'm pathetic."

"You're cute when you're depressed," Meg said, fluttering her eyelashes. "I bet you're even cuter with kiss-bruised-"

Castiel cut her off. "Meg, stop it. I'm thirteen."

"Spoil sport," Meg grumbled. "I'm fifteen."

"I don't want to think about-" Cas blushed furiously and lost his train of thought. He buried his head in his hands.

"Don't cover up your pretty face," Meg said. "You're covering up too much with those clothes already."

"Ew!" Castiel yelped. He got up and ran away, leaving Meg, who was still chuckling, well behind.

"Look what you did," said Dean to Sam. They were, of course, still arguing.

"This is not my problem, Dean. You chose to do it this way."

"Oh, it's your fault, Sammy. I offered you the chance to have this argument where it wouldn't hurt poor Cas's little ears, but you just kept on yelling."

"And you just kept on treating me like I'm worth less than one of your idiotic subjects! I'm done, Dean. I hope your beloved Castiel gets lost in an Oubliette forever. If you want to say goodbye, do it now. You'll never see me again."

Dean shrugged. Sam turned and left. Dean waited until he was out of earshot.

"Goodbye, Sammy," he muttered darkly. Then he stalked back into the castle, found Jack, and hid in the darkest corner of the stairs room.

Castiel was running through the Labyrinth desperately, heedless of direction. He found himself in the woods again, and figured he would be alone. So he sat down, huddled under a friendly-looking bush. He didn't realize that it was the same one that had captured and scratched him before.

Sam ran to the woods. They were the quickest shortcut to the cliffs above the Bog of Eternal Stench. He would throw himself in from the highest cliff and hope that he died quickly.


	13. Thirteen Hours End

_Thirteen Hours End_

Sam was still headed for the cliffs when he heard the snarling of a carnivorous thornbush.

Castiel woke up suddenly, already in the grasp of the angry thorns. They scratched and attacked him, and he screamed. Sam heard him screaming and ran into the woods, shouting.

"Castiel! Castiel! I'm coming, hold on! Use the silver knife, remember? Cas, where are you?"

Cas cried out weakly and reached for Sam's silver knife. He started to cut the thorns, but he was too weak. He dropped the knife and couldn't reach to pick it back up.

Sam found the bush a little too late. Castiel was already unconscious and pretty badly shredded. He found the knife and attacked the bush with all his might, freeing Castiel and then continuing to hack the bush apart until he reached the root. A small goblin hopped out of the stump, and the rest of the bush shriveled and melted into the ground. The goblin ran away cackling.

Sam knelt beside Cas and held his head.

"Castiel, please wake up," he begged. Castiel didn't move. His hand twitched and Sam remembered to check for a pulse. He couldn't find one in Cas's wrist because of all the damage, but he could see blood spurting out rhythmically from his artery.

Sam pinched the artery closed with his fingers, but Cas was bleeding from too many places.

"Castiel, please. Don't die on me. Dean, help! Cas is dying."

"I know," said Dean, appearing behind Sam. "A goblin told me."

"Dean, please, I'm sorry, just save Castiel."

"I'm sorry," said Dean.

"You have to," said Sam.

"No, I will. I mean I'm sorry about- us. How I've been with you. You're my brother, but I cared too much about my power. I didn't listen to you. You were right, Sammy. I'm sorry."

"Okay, well, that's great, but- can you fix him?"

Dean pulled a crystal ball out of his pocket. He blew on it, and it turned into a shiny purple dust cloud that settled on Castiel. All of the bleeding stopped, but Castiel still looked pretty bad. Dean picked him up in his arms and stood up.

"I'll take care of him, Sammy. I'll meet you at the palace in an hour. We have things to talk about."

"Okay," said Sam. "Don't let him die."

"I won't," Dean promised. He vanished and reappeared in the palace, carrying Castiel to a quiet room with a white sheeted bed and a sunny window.

Dean quickly healed Castiel enough that he was stable and then sat down to consider what to do. If he completely healed Cas immediately, it would be hard on Cas. He stopped all the places where Castiel was still bleeding and replenished some of his blood.

Castiel stirred slightly. "Dean?" he mumbled.

"I'm here, buddy," Dean said.

Cas smiled and fell back asleep.

"Aww," said Dean. He left, closing the door gently, and went to find Jack.

Castiel was alone when he woke up. "What happened?" he asked weakly. "Where- where am I?"

He tried to sit up and fell back with a cry of pain.

"Hello?" he asked. "Is anyone there?"

A goblin came in. "It's awake! Yakka, yakka!" He ran back out.

Several goblins came running in.

"H-hi?" Castiel asked, scared.

"Ow," one yelped. "It speak. You watcha out!"

"Shut up," one ordered the others.

"You shut up!"

"Nobody shutting upa-upa. Castiel is awake."

"It's not supposed to be awake!" one squeaked so fast that Castiel couldn't follow.

"Dean Dean will wanta to know."

"Tell the king!" one chattered. They all agreed loudly and ran out again.

"Okay," Castiel whispered. "That was- interesting." He felt very tired and fell back asleep.

"-waking up," Castiel heard Dean say as he started to wake up. "Take Jack to the stairs room."

Footsteps followed this request, and a door closed.

"Dean?" Castiel asked as his eyes fluttered open.

"Yeah?" Dean asked. "You up, Cas?"

"Sort of," Castiel said weakly. "What happened?"

"You ran off and tried to get killed, Sam found you and saved you from a bush, and I brought you back here and healed you," Dean said.

"Oh," Castiel said. "Is that why my head hurts?"

"You almost died, Cas," Dean said. "Be more careful."

"I didn't remember that the bush wanted to eat me," Castiel protested. "There's too much stuff. It's too big, and I keep getting lost. I- I just can't keep track of it all." He started crying.

"Hey, don't cry," Dean said. "It'll be fine."

"No, it won't," Cas sobbed. "The thirteen hours are up."

"That's true," Dean admitted. "Don't worry. We'll work it out."

"But Jack's going to turn into a goblin and be trapped here forever and it's all my fault," Castiel cried.

"He's not going to turn into a goblin," Dean said. "He won't be human exactly, but he won't be a goblin either."

"So the story wasn't true?" Castiel asked.

"Nope," Dean said. "It was all complete nonsense I wrote to try to get you to come here."

"Oh," Cas said. "Why? Also, why is the main character a girl?"

"Because," Dean said. "I didn't want you thinking I made it up. Anyway, part of it _is_ based on a goblin legend."

"Why did you want me to come here?" Castiel asked.

"I wanted to talk to you," Dean said evasively.

"But why me?" Castiel asked.

"Cause I felt like it," Dean said in an angry tone that told Castiel not to ask any more questions. "Are you done?" He scowled darkly, and Castiel turned away from him, afraid.

"Sorry," Dean said.

Cas sniffed and turned his head back toward Dean. His big blue eyes were wet with tears that made Dean feel guilty.

"I'm sorry, Cas. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. No hard feelings?"

"Okay," Castiel said meekly. "Dean, um…"

"Yeah?" asked Dean, trying to sound less scary.

"Well, can I ask you something?"

"As long as it's not a stupid question," said Dean.

He hesitated a little, and Dean could tell that he trying to work up the courage to ask something that might make Dean mad. As long as it wasn't about Jack, Dean was pretty sure he could answer whatever Cas threw at him.

"Please don't be mad," Cas began hesitantly.

"I won't," said Dean, trying to be reassuring. "Dude, you're the one who's all beat up. I solemnly promise I will try not to be mad or scare you, okay? Just ask your question."

"Dean, when we were on the ship, how much of that was real?"

"Real, huh?" said Dean. "There are a few layers of what's real, buddy. You're going to have to be a little more specific. Hey! No crying. I'm not mad, see? You mean a lot to me, but you are really one pathetic dude. Chill, okay? Let's just talk about this."

Castiel bit his lip. "Um, like, you were really nice to me then, and I wanted to know how much of it was real, and how much was just- an act."

"That was all real, Castiel," Dean said honestly.

"Really?" Castiel asked. Hope sparkled in his eyes.

"Really," Dean said.

Dean was pleased when a small smile crept onto Castiel's lips. _I should be nice to him more often,_ Dean thought. _He looks so cute when he's happy._

"Thank you, Dean," Castiel whispered. He touched the back of Dean's hand with his index and middle fingers.

"Your hand's freezing, Cas," Dean said. He made Castiel iridescent reflective gloves to keep him warm.

"Thanks, Dean," said Cas. He hesitated. "I'm sorry I thought you were evil. Sam made you sound worse than you are. You're just trying to sound like an idiot."

Dean blushed. "I do try," he said goofily.

Castiel and Dean sat for a moment in companionable silence.

"What happened between you and Sam?" Castiel asked.

"Nothing was decided," Dean said. "We just agreed to have a hopefully civil talk about it. I'm a little late, but he'll be okay. I told the goblins to have him wait, so he won't be going anywhere."

"You should go make sure he's okay," said Castiel. "So you're done yelling at each other?"

"Well, for a few minutes, probably," said Dean. "What, you want me to be nicer to him or something?"

"Well, I'm just concerned," said Castiel. "Meg tried to tell me that brothers always hate each other. Do you hate Sam, Dean Winchester?"

"It's kinda normal for brothers to love and hate each other at the same time. Sam and I will be okay, Cas. We just have a lot of rough edges to chip off each other. I better go talk to him before he starts trying to drown goblins in ale."

"What!" said Cas, scared.

"Joking," said Dean. He blinked at Cas and then vanished.


	14. For Sammy

_A/N It's probably obvious, but the Labyrinth plotline is getting close to finishing. I intend to have roughly the same thing happen, sort of. The ending, at least, should be mostly the same. So, please review if you want the story to keep going past the traditional ending or just stop._

 _For Sammy_

Sam was standing impatiently, waiting for Dean to show up. He dragged the goblins around and tried to be as much trouble as possible. When Dean arrived, he clammed up and hid behind his hair.

"Sammy," said Dean.

"Yeah, I know what my name is, Dean. If you've poisoned me, it hasn't worked yet."

"I haven't _poisoned_ you, Sammy. I'm just here to talk. If you don't calm down, I'm going to have to shoot you with rock salt."

"I'm not possessed, Dean. I'm just miserable. I know I'm not worth keeping around, so I'll just leave, Dean, okay?"

"I'm worried about you, Sammy. You look pretty upset, and that worries me."

"How's Castiel?" asked Sam.

"He'll be fine. He woke up about half an hour ago. He was asking about you, Sam. I think you made a pretty big impression on him."

"Dean, why are you doing this? You don't even like me anymore."

"I'm sorry, Sammy. I've been stupid about this, and I'm sorry."

Sam jutted his jaw out. "You're not sorry, Dean. You're manipulating me."

"Whoa! Big word alert. Warn me before you use one of those things, Sammy. They scare me."

"Dean, you're not funny."

"Okay. I said I'm sorry, Sam. What else do you want me to say?"

"Talking won't help, Dean. It won't change you, and it won't fix me. I'm done, Dean. As soon as you say goodbye, I'm going out to the Bog of Eternal Stench to see what a good fifty-foot drop will do for me."

"Sammy, please don't talk that way. I don't want to lose you. You're still my brother, and I still care about you. I've been stupid. I know that. You deserve a better brother than me, but hey, what have you got? Me. I'm your brother, Sammy. Your brother Dean." Dean held out his arms.

Sam sniffled. He looked at Dean, and then looked away.

"Hey, Sammy, I'm trying my best here, okay? I don't do moments. But you matter to me. Okay, Sammy? Please don't leave me," Dean begged.

Sam just looked at him with empty eyes, so Dean dropped his arms.

"I know you don't like Goblin King moves, okay? But I'm keeping you here until I know you're safe. I won't lose you, Sammy."

"Dean, I'm an adult."

"I'm the Goblin King. You're stuck. I'm sorry, Sammy, but it has to be this way."

Sam said nothing. He let Dean lead him to a room, and laid down on the bed. Dean sat awkwardly with his back to the wall until Sam asked him to leave. He left goblins watching Sam and went to see Castiel.

Castiel was sitting up in bed. He was paler than usual, but other than that he looked okay.

"Hello, Dean," Castiel said.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said. "You're looking better. How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Castiel said.

"Dude, no being Spartan," Dean said.

Cas sighed. "Why do you care if I'm a bit dizzy?"

"Someone has to," Dean said. "You're going to run yourself into the ground with that attitude."

"I'll be fine," Castiel said.

"You always say you're fine," Dean noted. "Does it actually mean anything?"

Castiel thought about that for a moment. "No, not really," he admitted.

"So," Dean said. "Talk to me."

"Physically I'm slightly dizzy, and I guess I have a headache, but I'm mostly okay," Castiel said. "I'm worried about Jack."

"Jack's okay," Dean said. "Don't worry about him."

"Can I see him?" Castiel asked.

"Look, why do you want to see him? You lost the game. Jack belongs to me now. If you see him, it'll just make things worse for you." Dean looked at Castiel with big, pleading eyes. "Just hang out with me, okay? You don't really want to see Jack. He's doing fine without you."

"If it was Sam, would you be fine with just leaving him like that?" Castiel said. "Jack's my brother. I have to see him."

"Well, that's just too bad," said Dean. "You lost the Labyrinth. If Sammy hadn't pulled you out of that thornbush twice- Cas, hey, look at me. You're okay. I won't let anything hurt you. Please don't freak out."

Castiel had started crying again. "Please," he sobbed. "I have to see Jack. And- and I know I lost- and you don't have to let me, but- but-"

"Castiel, hey. Look at me." Castiel looked up at Dean, not sure whether to be hopeful or not.

"I'll give you another chance," said Dean. "I've hidden Jack in the palace. If you can find him in one and a half hours or less, I'll let you take him home tonight."

"R-really?" Cas gasped. "Thank you!" He leaped up and threw his arms around Dean.

"Get back in bed. I won't start the time until I say you're ready to get up, okay," said Dean, hugging Cas back and then letting him go. "Jack will be safe until you're healthy enough to look for him. But the deal goes out the window if you go out the window, you hear me?"

"Okay," Castiel said obediently. He lay back down, his eyes still shining like stars. "How long is it 'til I'm healthy enough?"

"Um," said Dean. "Look, it kind of depends on you, but it actually depends on me, too- I could heal you, but it would be harder on your body. You really need some rest to get better. I would say, maybe four or five days?"

Castiel looked mildly disappointed. "Four or five days. Okay."

"Well, I could knock you out for a couple of days, if you prefer that. You might heal faster, and it wouldn't seem so long to you," Dean offered.

"I'll think about it," Castiel said. "What happened when you talked to Sam?"

Dean frowned. "I don't know if I can talk about it. It didn't go very well."

"Oh," Castiel said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's my fault. I've been a terrible brother to him, and I didn't realize how much I was hurting him. Cas- Sam threatened to take his life. I have him here, under supervision, but I don't know how to help him." Dean stared at his shoes.

"Oh," Cas said again. He was silent for a few minutes, trying to process the information. "Are you okay?" Castiel asked at last.

"I don't know. I'm not gonna commit suicide, but I'm kinda freaking out," said Dean. "He's my brother, and here he goes and threatens to commit suicide, and Cas, _it's my fault_." Dean brushed tears out of his eyes.

Castiel stood and gently put his hand on Dean's shoulder. "It's not your fault," Cas said, although he was unsure of the truth of his statement. "Let me talk to Sam. I- I can try…"

Dean hugged Castiel and started to cry. "Cas, what if I lose him? It'll be my fault. I don't know what to do. I don't deserve to have a brother."

"Nobody really deserves to have anything," Castiel said. "And you can't blame yourself, even if Sam- it's not your fault, Dean."

"Cas, will you talk to him? Maybe you can figure out what went wrong. I'm willing to stop being an arrogant jerk. Hell, I'll do anything to get my brother back. I just want him to be safe, and okay, and happy. If I did this- I don't know, Cas. I feel horrible. I really hope you can help us." Dean broke down sobbing. "I wish our dad was here."

"Of course I'll talk to Sam," Cas said. "I've only known him for a day, but there's pretty much nothing I wouldn't do to help him. He's already one of my best friends. I- I just hope- I mean, I'm not sure that there'll be anything I can- just let me talk to him."

"Okay," said Dean. "I can take you to him. This means a lot to me, Cas. If you can help him, I'll do anything for you."

"I'm just trying to help my friends," Cas said. "I don't want anything in return. Just take me to Sam, and I'll do everything I can."


	15. I'm Not Stupid

_"I'm Not Stupid"_

Castiel walked into the room where Sam was. "Hello."

Sam moaned but ignored him. He hid his face in his pillow and hoped Castiel would go away. He didn't need Dean's new "girlfriend" to see him like this.

"I've been kind of worried about you and Dean," Castiel said.

"Dean hates me, and he's right," said Sam. "You should just go away too. I don't want to talk about it."

"If you really want me to leave that's okay," Castiel said. "But you should know that Dean doesn't hate you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Sam stubbornly.

"He's really worried about you. He was crying earlier."

"What?" said Sam. "What, he was crying to _you_? Why does that figure. You know what? You're the only thing he even cares about anymore."

"He might've been crying to me, but he was definitely crying about you," Castiel said. "I'm pretty sure that means he cares about you."

"Then why does he treat me like I'm less than a goblin?" grumped Sam. "Look, you wouldn't know what it's like to be treated like shit by the only person you care about, and then have him fall head over heels from some poor little cute blue-eyed elf and not even think you exist anymore. You wouldn't know what it's like to be BFFs with your brother your whole life- you tried to get rid of yours. You can't understand me, so go away."

Cas bit his lip. "I think I do understand, a little. When my mother died, my father was the only family I had left. We were really close, until one day- he met this dumb brat named Naomi and she took over his life. He hardly even talks to me anymore. That's kind of why I tried to give Jack away. He's Naomi's son."

"Wow. That sucks," said Sam. "It doesn't fix the fact that everybody's lives are a total mess and nobody has any ground to stand on. Dean- I mean, he's said some pretty awful things. Now all of a sudden he wants to make up, but how do I know it's not an act- to- to make you feel better, because he doesn't dare bruise your poor little feelings? I can't trust Dean again so fast. He can be a real brat. You'd better be careful of him, Castiel. One day you are BFFs and the next day you are his slave."

"Maybe you're right," Castiel said, blinking back tears. "But Dean is still your brother, even if he is a manipulative brat."

Sam turned away. "Does he still count as my brother if- look, you can't help me. This is too big for you. Just go away. Let Dean make it sound like everything's fine; he's good at that. Then take your brother and go home and don't look back."

"I'm not stupid!" Cas yelled. "Why does everyone think that? I'm not dumb enough to believe that everything's fine! It's not fine." He burst into tears.

Sam was very confused. "I thought Dean liked you because you _were_ stupid, helpless and pathetic. Now you're telling me you're _not?_ Does Dean know?"

"I don't know why Dean likes me," Castiel said. "And I am helpless and pathetic. But I'm not stupid."

"Not without the help of creepy peaches," said Sam, winking. "No wonder he was so desperate to use magic on you. I bet he's scared of you."

"Dean? Scared of me?" Cas asked. "Huh. That actually might make some sense."

"Well, yeah. He totally has a thing for you, and then you go be yourself no matter what he tries to throw at you. My brother can be a bit of a control freak, and if you just keep rolling with the punches and shaking off the whipped cream, you probably have him pretty freaked out."

"That's weird," Castiel said. He thought about it. "Poor Dean."

"Yeah, poor Dean nothing. He's just getting what's coming for him. But if you're such a scary monster, then why are you talking to me? You should be out shredding Dean's heartstrings, right?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Castiel said. "And Dean said I could. He wants me to stay in bed and not do anything for days."

"Really?" said Sam. "And are you going to listen to him?"

"He has Jack," Castiel said. "The thirteen hours are up. He said I could have another hour and a half if I waited until he agreed I was healthy enough."

"See how he is?" argued Sam. "He's all worried about you, but he's still holding your brother hostage and won't give him back. But you're just cooperating, huh? See, that's what makes me think you're stupid."

"It would make me stupid if I didn't know what I was doing," Castiel argued. "Dean can send me back to the normal world whenever he wants, right? And I'll have a better shot at finding Jack if I have a couple days to get stronger and learn everything I can about the palace."

"Maybe you have Stockholm syndrome. Dean is the bad guy. You can't trust him. You have to remember that. He's captured Jack and now both of us. What does he want? You don't even know. You think he likes you? Maybe he's just faking. You don't know anything, Castiel. Just don't forget that."

"I told you I'm not stupid, Sam," Castiel said. "I know I have Stockholm syndrome. There's nothing I know to do about it, okay?"

"Duude," said Sam. "Have you told Dean any of this? Because he's not going to be happy."

"No," Castiel admitted. "And he's probably listening right now…"

"Yeah, you're dead," said Sam. "Don't worry, he'll just erase your memory again. And then I'll be fresh out of friends again, but what's a fellow to do? Just- be okay, Castiel. You're the only one who can."

"That's not true," Cas said. "Sam, we're still friends, no matter what I remember, okay? Memories don't make friends."

Sam sighed. "Well, something is capable of destroying friendships, because Dean and I used to be best buddies, and then out of the blue he just went nutters. You don't think- maybe something bad happened to him? Maybe it's not all his own stupid fault. How did I not think of this before?"

"That could be," Castiel agreed. "Any ideas on what?"

"I don't know. I'll think about it. You don't think a monster got him or something, do you? Maybe he's haunted again. Last time that happened, he was scared of literally everything, and totally not himself, but it all went away once Bobby and I put the ghost to rest."

"Who's Bobby?" asked Castiel.

"I don't remember," said Sam.

"This is sounding a lot like some kind of spell thing," Castiel said. "Uh, what do we do about it?"

"Bobby would know what to do," said Sam.

"Great," Castiel said sarcastically. "Do you have any way to contact this guy you don't remember?"

"I think I always called him on my- cell phone. Do you know what a cell phone is? I can't remember, "said Sam. "This is really weird."

"What's his number?" Castiel asked, pulling his own cell phone out of his pocket.

"Uh, 522-4… no wait… I can't remember."

"I don't have cell service here," Castiel complained. "And with only four numbers, there's no way…"

"Let me dial it with my eyes closed," said Sam. "It's worth a try."

Cas handed him the phone, and he punched seven numbers before he got stuck.

"Sorry. Trying to remember is making my head ache. I can't do it, Cas. We're going to have to figure this out ourselves if I'm ever going to get Dean back."

"Let me know if you remember any more," Castiel said. "We might get service on the roof."

A goblin popped into the room. "Please come, both of you. We can't find the king, and Jack is crying. You are not allowed to know where we're keeping him, but you can help us find the king. We think he's upset about something."

Sam looked at Cas. "Well, are we going to look for him?"

"Um, sure, I guess," Castiel said. "Maybe he went that way?"

"Uuuuhhhhm- that goes to the power plant. Probably not," said Sam. "Have you tried the stairs room? It's kind of his favorite hiding place."

"The stairs room?" Cas asked.

"We checked there, but Lord Dean is very good at hiding himself in that place," agreed the goblin. "Maybe you will find him there- if he lets you. He does seem to like both of you pretty well."


	16. Goodbye, Castiel

_A/N This is the last chapter. I don't know if it's the best ending, but I didn't exactly like the movie's ending either. Fair is fair. Thank you for reading this, it's been fun for us to write! Goodbye._

 _"_ _Goodbye, Castiel"_

The goblins led Sam and Castiel to the stairs room. There were stairs right side up and upside down all over the room. Castiel had never seen anything like it before.

"I get why this is a good hiding place," Castiel said. "How do we look for him in here?"

"In my experience? Just go. Climb random places, and never assume that any dead ends are real. Expect the room to look different than it looked before every time you move. But, yeah, just go places. I'll follow you. You have the advantage of never having been here before."

"Okay," Castiel said. He walked along a ledge and up a staircase that went down and turned sideways. Sam followed him. "I hate this place," he complained.

"It's kind of disorienting," Cas agreed. "I thought I was over there." He pointed to the other side of the room. "It's weird."

"Remembering where you were won't help you. This room is supposed to be as weird as possible. Blame Dean, not me," said Sam. "Just keep going and don't give up. Dean wouldn't let us stay lost in here forever."

Castiel climbed a staircase and walked along what he thought was a wall. "Dean can hear us, right?"

"I hear you, dumbass," said Dean. "What if I don't want to be found?"

"Then I'll stumble around in here until I get tired and crack my head open by mistake," Castiel said cheerfully.

"Why would I want to come out? You think I only like you for being stupid and pathetic. That's ridiculous. You said I was a manipulative brat, and you think I would lie to you and tell you everything's okay. You're the one I told when my brother threatened to commit suicide! No offense, Sammy. Cas is a good listener."

"It's not like you haven't lied to me before," Cas said. "And I said I didn't know why you liked me; you won't tell me."

"Great, that really makes me want to come out," said Dean. "You're breaking my heart, Cas. I do everything for you, but you don't even notice. You're too busy playing your stupid little games. Maybe I don't _wanna_ talk to you."

Castiel stared at the floor. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Yeah, whatever," said Dean. "Look, turn left."

Castiel turned left. He walked down a hallway and came to a hole in the floor. "Ah, what now?"

"Look down," said Dean. "I'm down here. You wanna talk, talk."

Cas jumped down. The room disintegrated, and Cas found himself alone with Dean in a different place.

Dean had a whole new outfit. He was wearing white jeans and a black leather jacket over a fluffy purple-sequined dress shirt. His hair was slicked back and powdered to look blonde. The lighting made him look attractive but also scary.

Everything else was white or pale colored. The cobblestones were light sandstone, and the walls were white. The sky was in pale pastels.

"Hello, Dean," Cas said uncertainly.

"Hi," said Dean. He adjusted his jacket and blinked his eyelashes at Castiel. "What do you think?"

Cas' cheeks reddened slightly. "Um- the hairdo makes your eyes stand out."

Dean grinned cheekily. "I always knew I was a good-lookin' bro."

He paused. "Seriously, Cas, why are you here?"

"Because you're here and I was looking for you?" Castiel squeaked.

"Cute," said Dean. "Now, did you mean what you told me, or what you told Sam? Tell me the truth, Castiel."

"I don't know," Cas whispered. "I really like you, and I want to trust you, and it doesn't make sense, and I'm scared. And then when I'm talking to Sam what he says makes sense, and I want to not trust you, but then I still trust you anyway, and it's stupid. So the whole thing doesn't make any sense and I have no idea what I mean." He said all of this very rapidly and addressed his shoes.

"Sounds like you are one confused bro," said Dean. "Come here. It's okay. You got me, anyway."

Castiel hugged Dean and started crying.

"Hey. It's okay," said Dean. "I can fix this. I'll do whatever you want me to do. You can have Jack back and go home if that's what you really want. I can send him home or keep him, and you can stay here. There's a place in my palace for you anytime, okay, buddy? We can stay here forever, or you can go home right now. Whatever you choose, it'll be okay."

"I don't know," Castiel whispered, still clinging to Dean.

"Then stay here with me," said Dean. "Heal. Talk to Sam. Maybe together, we can fix him up. You can help me raise Jackie. Stay with me, and I'll take care of you as long as you still want to be here."

"I can't, can I," Castiel said softly. "It wouldn't be fair, not to my father."

"Then at least stick around for a few months," offered Dean. "You can always go back later. I know you want to stay."

"Dean," Castiel said. "If I stay with you for a few months, I'll never be able to leave. I have to go while I can still make myself do it."

"Why? 'Cause some random dude who happened to be your dad is going to be upset? It's your life, Castiel. I could give you everything you ever wanted. Why turn that down, huh? Your old man will get over it."

"But I don't know that," Castiel said sadly. He pulled away from Dean. "He's my family, and Jack's my family. Let my brother and me go home."

"Wait," said Dean. "Please, you don't want to do this. If you leave now, what happens to Sammy? You promised to help him. You could do just as much good here as you could at home. Don't tell me you want to leave?"

"I'm so, so sorry," Castiel said. "Please, for your own sake, try to patch things up with Sam. He really wants his big brother back. I'm sorry I couldn't help more."

"Fine," said Dean, blinking back tears. "If you don't want to stay, if you really want to leave, then go. Jack will be back in his crib. I just- just go." He backed away and fell out the edge of the room and flew away as an owl.

Castiel was standing in the living room of his house, back in the normal world. The normal, twelve handed clock on the wall pointed to midnight. Cas walked slowly up the stairs and went to check on Jack.

Jack was asleep in his crib, just as Dean had promised. Castiel stared down at his brother.

"I'm sorry I wished you away," Castiel whispered. He took Lancelot from the bed and set him beside Jack. "Lancelot can be yours now," Cas continued. "I never play with him anymore anyway."

Castiel went back to his room and stared miserably at his model pirate ship. Then he took it and resolutely shut it away in a drawer. He wiped the lipstick off the mirror.

"We're home," Joshua's voice called from downstairs. "Castiel? Are you home?"

"Yeah," Castiel called down. "Yes, I'm here."

Cas studied the pattern of the wood on the desktop, trying not to think about Sam, Ludo, Sir Didymus- or Dean. He looked up. Reflected in the mirror, as if he were standing behind Castiel's chair, was Dean.

Cas whirled around, but he was alone. Dean was only in the mirror.

"Goodbye, Castiel," Dean said. His voice was cool, and his eyes were empty.

Castiel bit his lip. "Forgive me," he pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Cas," Dean said. "I don't think I can."

Castiel looked back down at the desk. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Goodbye."

When he looked up, Dean was gone from the mirror. Castiel put his head in his hands and cried.


End file.
